Dark Fog: The Twilight Saga
by MasonLoganTaylorMatthews
Summary: "These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss, consume." This is the story of New Moon, with some of the main character's genders' swapped. Please read and review, you can also read Dusk, the first in this series. Thank you
1. Chapter 1 Birthday

Dark Fog

A New Moon fan-fiction

"These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which, as they kiss, consume."

I FELT LIKE I WAS TRAPPED IN ONE OF THOSE TERRIFYING nightmares, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can't make your body move fast enough. My legs seemed to move slower and slower as I fought my way through the callous crowd, but the hands on the huge clock tower didn't slow. With relentless, uncaring force, they turned inexorably toward the end, the end of everything. But this was no dream, and, unlike the nightmare, I wasn't running for my life; I was racing to save something infinitely more precious. My own life meant little to me today. Alice had said there was a good chance we would both die here. Perhaps the outcome would be different if she weren't trapped by the brilliant sunlight; only I was free to run across this bright, crowded square. And I couldn't run fast enough. So it didn't matter to me that we were surrounded by our extraordinarily dangerous enemies. As the clock began to toll out the hour, vibrating under the soles of my sluggish feet, I knew I was too late, and I was glad something bloodthirsty waited in the wings. For in failing at this, I forfeited any desire to live.

I was walking In the meadow . . . _our meadow, _expecting at any moment for Eliza to come from the shade of the trees and into the brilliant sun. I heard a crunching sound, like the sound of a foot breaking a fallen twig. I turned and saw, not my girlfriend, but my grandfather.

"Grandpa?" I asked, wondering why he was here and how he had found me. He smiled and waved, and I did the same. Then something accrued to me, my grandfather had died when I was fourteen, how could he be here now. I guess even in a world of vampires, I hadn't expected other supernatural creatures to exist. I began walking towards my grandfather when out of the corner of my eye I saw Eliza concealed in the trees. She put a foot out into the sunlight, followed by her body. "Eliza!" I warned motioning to my grandfather, but she didn't listen. She walked right up to me, the sunlight causing her skin to sparkle brilliantly, and wrapped and arm around my waist. I smiled and gave her a kiss. "There's someone I want you to meet," I told her pulling her toward my grandfather. I couldn't wait for the two of them to meet, my grandfather would approve of Eliza, coming from a similar time period. We reached the middle of the meadow, my grandfather only a few feet from us. "Grandpa I want you to meet," but I stopped. I'd noticed my hand when I motioned to Eliza. My hand was different, it looked leathery and old, and liver spots decorated it. The skin was gray and wrinkly. The fingers were like long spider legs. I looked at my arm and saw the same thing had happen. I looked up at my grandfather who had a worried look on his face, his arm positioned just as mine was. I made a quick movement, and my grandfather did the same. I moved my arm and other hand again, my grandfather moved along with me. The sudden realization hit me, the old man with a leathery worn face, gray hair and chocolate brown eyes was not my grandfather, it was me. I was starting at my reflection. I looked at Eliza horrified. She smiled and took my hand into hers. She pressed her lips to it and whispered,

"Happy Birthday Ben!"

My eyes flew open. I jumped out of my bed and examined myself. No wrinkles, no liver spots, just my regular smooth, pale skin. But just to be safe I walked over to my mirror and stared at my reflection. I let out a relieved sigh as I saw myself. I hadn't changed. I looked the same as I had last night when I went to sleep. I walked over to my bed and sat. Though I looked no different today, soon I'd start aging, by the time I was in my mid-twenties I'd look less like a teenager and more man, and what about my thirties and forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, EIGHTIES! I was getting older every day; while Eliza stayed seventeen forever. Would she want me when I was an old man? I'd been begging her to change me since the night of our junior prom, but she refused. She was convinced that being a vampire meant you had no soul. I thought that the notion was ridiculous! How on earth could someone like Eliza not have a soul, I tried to talk to her about it, to give my side on the matter, but Eliza wouldn't budge, she was just too stubborn. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of my door being open. I turned to see my mother, with a tray of chocolate chip pancakes and presents. She smiled at me and began to sing _Happy Birthday. _

"Cut it out Mom," I said a bit annoyed, having made it clear I didn't want to celebrate my birthday. My mom made a face and plopped down next to me.

"Stop that now, everyone else in the world loves their birthday. So you're going to eat your pancakes and open your presents and you're gonna be happy about it!" I rolled my eyes and took the tray from my mother. There were two presents, a small one and a big one. I opened the small one first. It was one of those small digital cameras. "That's from your father," she said taking the camera from me to expect it. "It's small, but it's just as good as the ones we use down at the station," she said proudly. I opened up my next present. It was a scrapbook. "And that's from me; I thought you could make a scrapbook of your senior year, more personal than a yearbook." I put the two presents down and gave my mom a hug. She hugged me back and gave me a kiss on the head. "Oh to think that eighteen years ago today I was at the shooting range with your father when all of the sudden my water broke and," I cut my mom off before she could say anymore.

"Mom, you tell this story every year, I don't need, nor want to hear it again!" She smiled at me and got off my bed.

"Hurry and eat, you need to leave in about forty-five minutes." I nodded and started to eat, just as my door was closing I heard my mother say, "Oh by the way you've got a gray hair." I tossed the tray aside and ran to my mirror. I began to expect my hair when my mother laughed. "I was kidding Benny," I turned to look at her, hoping she could see the rage in my eyes.

"Not funny Mother," I said through my teeth. My mom put up her hands and retreated.

My mother closed my door, and I locked it. I sat on my bed, finished the pancakes, and started to get ready. I hated my birthday; something bad always seemed to happen. So before I left for school I hoped that nothing would go wrong this year- that everything would turn out okay but boy I was wrong.


	2. Chapter 2 The Feeling

I drove to school in silence. When I parked in my normal spot I saw Michelle, Jesse, Erin and Alex sitting around Jesse's truck. I got out and walked over to greet my friends.

"Hey Ben, you excited?" Jesse asked.

"Why?" I asked scared that somehow he had found out, that they'd all had found out. Jesse looked at me a bit puzzled, as did the others. "We get to spend Ms. Banks' class watching R&J," he said snickering at the words. I started to remember, Romeo and Juliet, the book we'd just finished in English class.

"Oh, yah," I said hoping no one would ask me why I was acting a bit odd. Michelle's face turned from happiness to discus.

"Oh look, Cullen," she said. I turned fast, like a kid who had heard someone call out Mickey Mouse. I saw Eliza step out of her silver Volvo; she smiled a mesmerizing smile, and walked towards me.

"See yah in class Ben," Jesse said as they all walked away. None of them seemed to like Eliza or the Cullen's that much, but when it came down to it, I could care less.

"Happy Birthday," Eliza said in more than a whisper. I placed a hand over her mouth,

"Shhhhh, you know I don't want anyone to know!" Eliza took my hand off her mouth and rolled her eyes.

"Why? Birthdays are something to be celebrated!"

"Not this one," I said very clear. Eliza cocked her head to the side,

"Why?" she asked. I pulled away, a little ashamed by the answer.

"Because it's a year older than you." Eliza smiled and laughed.

"Ben, I'm a hundred and twelve years old." I couldn't help myself, I laughed. Though she looked like she was seventeen, she was really old, old enough to be my great grandmother.

"I should be disgusted, no really I should be severely repulsed." As we laughed, Eliza pulled me down and into a deep kiss. I got lost in the kiss, my mind all but shut down, only concentrating on the pure joy I felt as her lips crashed against mine. Suddenly Eliza pulled away, her way of saying things were getting too serious.

"We should be heading to class," she said. I nodded, grabbed her hand, and began to walk towards class when Eliza gave me a slight tug. "Wait, someone's here to see you," Eliza said. I turned to see a tanned girl. The girl was both familiar and new.

She had familiar red-brown eyes, and raven hair. But she was taller, and she had put on muscle.

"Julia?" I said almost expecting it to be someone else. But the girl held out her arms,

"Hey Ben," Julia said in her soft voice. I ran over to her and gave her a hug. I was amazed at how big and strong she'd gotten. I hadn't seen her in months, most of my time being spent with Eliza.

"You know steroids are really bad for you, right?" I said as we pulled apart. Julia laughed and shrugged,

"Just had a growth spurt. Wouldn't be so noticeable if we spent more time together."

"Yah, maybe you should transfer here, hang out with the pale faces." We both chuckled.

"Nah, I prefer school over on the Rez, they don't let just any rift raft in there." She looked at Eliza when she said that. I began to feel uncomfortable, but was fortunately saved by the bell.

"Well we need to be going," I said to Julia. She nodded and started to walk away,

"Oh Ben, wait!" she yelled. She ran over to me and handed me a wooden circle. "It's a dream catcher, I made it myself," she said proudly. I looked at it more closely and noticed that in the wood there were small curved wolves running around. The string in the middle made the shape of a wolf's head.

"Julia this is amazing, you really shouldn't have," I said still staring at the present.

"It was nothing," she said. I smiled and gave her another hug. We said our last goodbyes before Eliza and I made our way into the school.

"How come Julie Black gets to give you a gift and I don't?" Eliza asked as we entered the building.

"Because I have nothing to give you," I said as we climbed the stairs. Eliza grabbed me,

"Ben you give me everything by just breathing." I loved when she said things like that; it assured me that I was a part of her world, that I belonged. Suddenly a high pitched squeal filled the halls. I turned and saw Alice running towards me, Jasper not too far behind.

"Happy Birthday!" Alice said while handing me a wrapped gift.

"Alice!" I said in a harsh whisper. Alice rolled her eyes,

"I've seen you open it, and you love it! Oh and by the way you're coming over to our house tonight at eight!" I wanted to say no, but I suddenly felt calm and reassuring,

"Okay, Alice!" she smiled and ran over to Jasper! The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Hey Jasper, no fair with the emotion control thing," I said. Jasper smiled and gave a look towards Alice.

"Sorry Ben, had no choice!" The two walked away, as I stood dumbfounded. Eliza laughed and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Come on Birthday Boy, we're going to be late for class." I followed Eliza towards our English class, all the while thinking that somehow tonight's party was going to end in disaster!


	3. Chapter 3 Suicidal Tendencies

Eliza and I were at my house, getting our English assignment over with, having to watch the Leonardo DiCaprio and Clair Danes version of Romeo and Juliet. We were at the part where Romeo just downed the vial of poison when Juliet woke up. They kiss and then Romeo dies. Unable to cope without her Romeo; Juliet takes his gun and shoots herself in the head. One could easily find the death scene unrealistic, me, I understood it completely.

"You know I never had much patience with Juliet, but I do envy her here." Eliza said as Juliet's limb body fell to the ground. I looked up at her confused. "The suicide, it's so easy for humans. A vial of plant extract or a bullet to the head and you're gone," she said so easily, so calmly. My reaction was a little more dramatic.

"WHAT?" I could tell Eliza hadn't expected my reaction to be that.

"Well last spring when I thought I might lose you, the thought came to mind a few times. But unfortunately for beings like me it's as simple. It's almost impossible for someone like to die, but there are ways. I figured I'd go to Italy and provoke the Voltuir; you don't provoke the Voltuir unless you wish to die.

"You wanted to die?" I asked shocked.

"Well did you expect me to simply go on living without you?"

"Well what are you planning on doing once you've let me die," I said harshly. I looked over to Eliza, who looked as if I'd just dumped her or something. She grabbed my hand, and I continued to look at her.

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" she said in a whisper.

"In away, yes. You've made it very clear that you're not going to turn me. So I'm going to age, and eventually my heart will give out." I realized that I was being harsh, maybe too harsh. The dream I had the previous night was still haunting me, and the birthday was like putting salt on an open wound.

"Ben I'm not letting you. . ." but I didn't want to hear it. We've had this conversation plenty of times before, and her reasoning was always vague.

"Lets not talk about this, every time we do you get upset and I get upset." Eliza opened her mouth to say something, but before she could a word out my mother opened the door.

"Hey there kids," she said hanging up her gun.

"Hey Mom," I said pausing the DVD,

"Hey Charlotte," Eliza said getting up to shake her hand. We had a light dinner, some fish Charlotte had caught with Billie and their friend Sue. Eliza sat by the window so she could throw bits and pieces out to make it look like she was eating.

"So you're going to the Cullen's house tonight?" My mother asked me. I nodded my head not at all pleased.

"We should actually leave now," Eliza said. I gave her a dirty look and got up.

"Say hi to Alice for me," my mother said as I was leaving. I told her I would, and left the house. The drive was quiet, Eliza didn't even play music. I began to brace myself for what was awaiting me, nothing, not even face James could have been worse than having a party with my girlfriend's vampire family I thought. But I wouldn't know the true horror that would come until later.


	4. Chapter 4 Disaster at the Party

I should've known that Alice wouldn't through just a simple party, no; the house was covered in pale blue and white lights. Balloons floated everywhere.

"Whoa," I said taking it all in. Eliza put an arm around my waist.

"They're all very excited…and I do mean all of them."

"Everyone? I thought Rosalie and Emmett were in Africa," I asked surprised.

"Rosalie wanted to be here," she said as we walked up the stairs to the front door. The rest of Forks was under the impression that the older Cullens had gone off to college this year, to Dartmouth, but I knew better. Before she opened the door Eliza looked at me in the eyes very seriously.

"This is a party. Try to be a good sport." I nodded my head; Eliza smiled and gave me a kiss.

"Anything for you," I whispered. Eliza rolled her eyes and opened the door. "Wait," I said pulling on her arm. I pulled the tiny black digital camera out of my pants pocket and showed it to Eliza. "Um…If I develop this film…will you show up in the picture?" Eliza looked at me like I was crazy. She then let out a loud laugh. She didn't seem capable of stopping. I laughed a little too before telling her to shut up. We entered the door and I saw all six of the other Cullens standing in a straight line. They all had a smile on their face, even Emmett.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEN," the shouted in unison. Esme was the first to fully greet me. She gave me a hug, her husband, Carlisle, came up to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Sorry about this, Ben. We couldn't rein Alice in." Rosalie was the next one to greet me. She smiled like a child who had just told a convincing lie.

"You haven't changed at all. I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always." She gave me a hug after that.

"Thanks a lot Rosalie," I said pretending to be hurt.

Emmett ignored me, Jasper kept his distance. I'd hope that after spending all that time together last spring he'd gotten over the whole wanting my blood thing, but that was only false hope. Alice clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Presents," she shrilled happily. I rolled my eyes and looked at her.

"Alice, I thought I said no presents."

"But I didn't listen," she said handing me a large box wrapped in white paper. "Open this one. It's from Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper!" The box was so light it felt empty. I began to unwrap the paper, once I got enough off I could tell it was a box for a car stereo.

"Um…so…thanks," I said. To my surprise Emmett and Jasper both laughed.

"It's a stereo for your truck. Rosalie's already installed it so you can't return it," Jasper explained. Alice picked up a small rectangular box wrapped in shinny blue paper.

"This one is from Esme and Carlisle," Alice said as I grabbed the box.

"Just a little something whenever you fell like a little sun," Carlisle said smiling.

"You've been getting a little pale," Esme added. We all laughed at the joke; because though I was pale I was nowhere near as white as they all were. I began to open the present when my right index finger began to sting.

"Shoot," I said examining my finger, that now had a small slice on it and blood oozing out. "Paper cut," I said out loud. The realization hit fast. Time seemed to pause. I saw Jasper's eyes bulge, and his nostrils flared.

"NO," Eliza yelled at her brother. I saw a flash and then my body was flying across the room. I violently crashed into a glass table, and the glass bowls that were on-top of it I felt pieces of broken glass enter my flesh. I looked down and saw that my left arm was covered in broken glass. Blood spewed from my arm and pooled under me. I looked up and saw seven vampires staring at me.

"Rosalie, Emmett. . .get Jasper outside," Esme said as she checked on me. They did as she said. Carlisle looked down at me, he grabbed the top of his nose and headed for the door. He glanced back at me, disappointment flooded his eyes and face.

"I'm sorry Ben, I just. . . I just can't." Only Esme, Eliza and Alice were left.

"Give me some room Eliza," Esme said as she continued to check my wounds. Alice who seemed to be in more control of herself than I would have expected was trying to decide what to do.

"Do you need me to get a towel?" she asked Esme.

"No, there's too much glass in the wound. Let's take him to the kitchen table. Alice will you get me my bag?" Alice was gone in a flash, leaving a small breeze in her wake. Eliza picked me up and took me over to the table. I watched her, her eyes fixated on me, on the wound. She seemed angry.

"Just go, Eliza. Get some fresh air." I suggested. Eliza shook her head.

"I can handle it," she said still looking at my wound. Esme looked up from my wound and at Eliza.

"Eliza, you may as well go find Jasper before he gets too far. I'm sure he's upset with himself, and I doubt he'll listen to anyone right now but you." Eliza considered, and left the room.


	5. Chapter 5 Aftermath

I was in the kitchen with Esme. The shot that she gave me had completely numbed my left arm. She was busy picking the glass out of my arm, and then stitching it up. I stared in awe as she cleaned my wounds, totally unaffected by the blood.

"Esme it's amazing what you can do," she smiled as she continued to mend my wounds. "Esme why did you think to try a different way than the obvious one?" I asked never really understanding why she and her family lived the way they lived. Esme sighed, but continued to work.

"Well…I'm sure this sounds a little bizarre, coming from a vampire, but I'm hoping that there is still a point to this life. By all accounts, we're damned, but I hope that we'll get some measure of credit for trying," she looked up at me and smiled, "It's a long shot, I'll admit." I contemplated what she had just said. Before I could question what she meant, she continued to talk. "Eliza's with me up to a point. God and heaven exist…and so does Hell. But she doesn't believe that there is an afterlife for our kind. You see she thinks we've lost our souls."

Everything clicked, everything made sense."

"So that's why she's being so difficult about me." Esme said nothing, she just nodded her head.

"Well if the situation was reversed, and you believed as she did, could you take away her soul?" Esme asked not in a hostile tone, but a sad, curious one.

"But that's just it…I don't believe that." I said as she sewed in the last stich. She was now wrapping gaze around my arm.

"That's the one part I can never be sure of. I think, in most other ways, that I've done the best I could with what I had to work with. But was it right to doom the others to this life? I can't decide. I've never been sorry that I saved Eliza, though." I smiled, and silently thanked God that she did, but a sudden horrible thought entered my mind, one that I though needed to be addressed.

"Esme, last spring when the whole James thing do you know what Eliza was thinking?" Esme shook her head, and looked at me curiously. I felt a bit bad telling her this, after all wasn't this a violation of trust. "When she though there was a possibility that I might…die, she was going to go to the Voltuir, to provoke them." Esme's eyes widened in horror, her mouth dropped open.

"What? How do you know?" I looked down at my feet guilty.

"She told me. Look I'm only telling you this because I'm worried that if something should happen to me she might do exactly that," I paused and knew that I had to try. Just get it over with-like ripping a Band-Aid off your leg. "So I was thinking that maybe you could go ahead and change me." I looked at Esme hopefully, but my hope was shot down when I saw her shake her head.

"Ben I can't just change you."

"Why?"

"Because. . .because it's not up to me. This is between you and Eliza. I'm sorry."

Great, my last hope was just killed. This was so unfair. I wanted nothing more than to be immortal, to live forever with Eliza. Was it really too much to ask? Esme took my hand in her's, and she smiled hopefully. "Everything happens for a reason Ben, remember that!" I nodded me head and hopped of the table.

"I should get him home," I heard Eliza's voice say from behind. I turned and saw her leaning on the doorway. My heart sank, how much had she heard, how mad would she be? Eliza gave me a weak smile and held out her hand. I took it and let her lead me to the front door. I turned to say thank you to Esme. She smiled and wished me a happy birthday.

For the first few minutes the car ride was silent. I finally turned to Eliza.

"Say something," I asked. Eliza didn't look at me; she kept her eyes on the road.

"What do you want me to say," she finally said.

"Tell me you forgive me." I chocked out. Eliza's head turned towards me; she looked very confused.

"Forgive you? Forgive you for what?" she asked.

"If I'd been more careful, nothing would've happed." I said feeling very guilty for what I had caused to happen. Eliza shook her head, and she looked at me in bewilderment.

"Ben, you gave yourself a paper cut-that hardly deserves the death penalty." I ignored her, still feeling guilty and upset at myself.

"It's still my fault!" This seemed to make her angry.

"Your fault?! If you'd cut yourself at Michelle Newton's house, with Jesse and Alex and your other 'normal' friends, the worst that could have possibly have happened would be what? Maybe they couldn't find you a bandage? If you'd tripped and knocked over a pile of glass plates on your own, without someone throwing you into them, even then what's the worst? You'd get blood on the seats and they'd drive you to the emergency room? Michelle Newton could have held your hand while they stitched you up, and she wouldn't be fighting the urge to kill you the whole time she was there!" I was getting angry now, Eliza knew I hated when she compared herself to my human friend, who despite dating Jesse, had a major crush on me.

"How the hell did Michelle Newton end up in this conversation?" I asked a little pissed.

"She'd be a hell of a lot healthier for you to be with." And with that I said the thing that ended the conversation.

"I'd rather die-than be with anyone but you!" We pulled up to my house. I had the story all ready for Charlotte, I'd tripped on a rug, knocked all the plates over and sliced my arm up when I fell. Eliza got out of the car with me and walked me to my door.

"Will you stay tonight?" I asked giving her a weak smile. Eliza looked away,

"I need to go home," she said coldly.

"For my birthday?" I asked playing on the notion.

"Ben you either want people to celebrate your birthday, or ignore it. You can't have it both ways. I'm sorry, but I just can't stay tonight!" I nodded my head.

"Fine but there is just one thing. It's still my birthday, and I have decided I want you to give me something after all." Eliza raised a brow. "Kiss me!" I said. I didn't let her decide. I leaned down and began to kiss her. I hoped that the kiss would make everything okay, that after she wouldn't be mad. We kissed for a while until she pulled away.

"Goodnight Ben, Happy Birthday!" With that all that was left of her was a breeze as she ran into the night.

I knew that this would happen, something always happened on my birthday. Even when I had everything that I could ever want, and now it seemed like I didn't even have that. I closed my eyes and prayed that by tomorrow everything will have blown over. I opened the door slightly before saying to myself,

"Happy freakin birthday Ben Swan!"


	6. Chapter 6 Goodbye Ben

The next day Eliza and her siblings didn't show up for school. A lot of people asked me what had happen to my arm, I went with the story I'd told Charlotte. When I got home I saw Eliza standing by the garage. Immediately I knew that whatever was coming it wasn't going to be good. I got out of my car and walked over to her. I smiled. I leaned in for a kiss, but she pushed away.

"Let's go for a walk," she said coldly. Her unemotional voice sounded an alarm in my head that was bad, very bad. We walked into the woods behind my house, the walk lasted ten minutes. Eliza stopped a few yards ahead of me. She didn't turn, she just spoke.

"Ben, we're leaving."

"Why now? Why not another year?" I asked hoping somehow I could convince her.

"Ben, it's time. How much longer could we stay in Forks, after all? Esme can barely pass for thirty and she is claiming thirty-three now. We'd have to start over soon regardless." I nodded my head, knowing that sooner or later this would happen.

"Alright, just give me a day or two to come up with something to tell Charlotte." I didn't finish; Eliza's eyes told me to stop. "When you say we−"

"I mean my family and myself!" My heart stopped, I fell short of breath. "Ben, my world is not for you." I felt my temper rise, this was not happing.

"You promised!" I shouted at her. "You promised that you would stay-that you'd never leave me." Eliza stopped me.

"As long as that was best for you." I knew what she meant by that, or at least I thought they did.

**_"No! This is about my soul isn't it? Esme told me about that, and I don't care, Eliza. I don't care! You can have my soul. I don't want it without you−it's yours already!" _**She actually looked like she was in pain−like what I was saying was causing her physical pain. But that pain was soon replaced by what looked like repulse.

"Ben, I don't want you to come with me!" she said harshly, cold, and I believed her. My heart was breaking, I was in pain. The venom from James' bite was nothing compared to this.

"You…don't…want me?" I asked holding back tears. She looked at me, with cold shark like eyes.

"No!" My mind was shutting down; I was having a hard time processing what she was saying.

"Well…that changes things."

"What happen last night made me realize that it's time for a change." Her words were emotionless.

"Don't," I said shaking my head, begging her.

"I've let this go on much too long, and I'm sorry for that." I wanted to drop to my knees and beg her to stop, to take it all back, but my mind was so foggy, so consumed with shock and doubt.

"Don't do this?" I said, the tears where falling from my eyes, the pain was too much to bear.

"You're not good for me, Ben!" she said again with the same unemotional tone she'd been using throughout this horrid conversation. "Ben, I would like to ask one favor, though, if that's not too much. Don't do anything reckless or stupid. For Charlotte. You do understand what I'm saying right?" I didn't respond. "And I'll make you s promise in return. I promise that this will be the last time you'll see me."

"NO," I wanted to shout.

"I won't come back. You can go on with your life without any more interference from me. It will be as if I'd never existed." I stared at her dumbfounded; I was expecting to wake up at any moment, praying that this was all a dream. "Goodbye Ben," she said, then she gave me a kiss on the check. I closed my eyes tight, knowing that when I opened them I'd be in my bed and Eliza would be next to me. But instead I felt a rush of wind. When I opened my eyes I only saw dense forest.

"Eliza…" I whispered, "please don't leave me." It felt like my brain was overheating. I fell to my knees and then face forward on the dirt ground. Blackness consumed me.


	7. Chapter 7 Alone

When I woke up it was night. The only thing I heard at first was the sound of crickets and other animals moving about, Then, and I thought I was imagining things, Someone was shouting my name.

"Ben? Ben?" I heard a deep voice calling. I should answer, but…What was that? It sounded like an animal, a big animal. It doesn't matter…now its raining. Through my closed eyes I could see a bright light shining in my direction. I opened my eyes and saw the outline of a large man standing over me.

"Ben?" he asked curious.

"Who?" I managed to say, though I was probably inaudible.

"Have you been hurt?" the man asked. He kneeled down and checked me to see if I was hurt. "Ben, it's me Sam Uley−Julia's friend. Charlotte sent me to look for you." Something in my mind clicked when he said my mother's name.

Sam helped me to my feet. For whatever reason I still didn't have full function of my legs, so Sam had to help me walk to my house. When we rounded the corner of my garage I saw Billie, Julia, Sue and many other members of the Quileute tribe, staff members from the police station and then my mother.

"BEN!" she yelled as she ran to me. She wrapped her arms around me and held me tight.

"Mom," I said softly letting her cradle me like a little kid.

"Thank God you're alright," my mom said as she kissed the top of my hair. I felt her body turn to face the others. "Has anyone reached the Cullens?" she asked. My eyes flew open and I let out an animalistic yell. I fell from my mother's arms and onto the floor. And for the first time since I'd moved to Forks, I cried of sorrow, I cried of pain and of heartbreak. I felt nothing and that's exactly what I had now that Eliza was gone, nothing!


	8. Chapter 8 OCTOBER

**OCTOBER**


	9. Chapter 9 NOVEMBER

**NOVEMBER **


	10. Chapter 10 DECEMBER

**DECEMBER **


	11. Chapter 11 JANUARY

**JANUARY **


	12. Chapter 12 Adrenalin Junkie

Four months had passed since Eliza and her family left. I was less human, more robot. I'd wake up at six, go to school, go home, go to sleep and then I'd do it all over. People generally avoided me, including Michelle, Erin, Jesse and Alex. I was glad; I didn't want anyone to try to cheer me up. I didn't want anyone to talk to me. It wasn't until Charlotte threated to move me down to Florida with my father. I couldn't leave. I knew she'd never come back, but I couldn't leave.

"You don't have to worry Mom; in fact Jesse, Alex and I are going to the movies tonight, having a guy's night." I lied smoothly.

"A guy's night?" my mom asked questionably. I nodded my head.

"Yah, guy's night." I knew that my mom would check in with Mrs. Stanly and Mrs. Webber, so I had to act fast. That day at school I invited both of them to the movies. Getting Jesse to agree to come took a lot of convincing, he apparently was angry with me. Alex was the only one who appeared excited.

The movie we saw was a new zombie movie. It was boring, and I nearly fell asleep halfway through it. When the movie was over Erin picked Alex up, they were going to dinner. Jesse and I walked around town, neither of us really wanted to go back into Forks.

"I mean I totally understand what Eliza did was wrong, but come on you got to get over it−I mean look at me for example. Michelle and I broke up like two months ago and I didn't go all emo!" It took everything I had not to punch him. We were crossing a street when I heard a cat call. I turned to see some very butch women standing outside a bar. They were wearing leather jackets and standing around nice looking motorcycles. I didn't even think about approaching them until I heard her.

"Keep on walking," her soft voice said to me. I turned around fast, my heart racing. It was her…Eliza, but it wasn't. She was transparent like a ghost, but it was her. "Ben, everything okay?" Jess asked. I nodded my head, not really paying attention. I was fixated on the image of Eliza. For four long months I hadn't seen her, heard her magical voice, but now. The idea popped into my head before I had completely thought about it. I smiled and began to walk towards the biker girls.

"Ben, what are you doing?" Jess called, but I didn't respond.

"Ben, stop this now!" Eliza said, her image now getting less transparent. I was now feet away from the leader of the group.

"Hey there sugar," the woman said. Her blonde hair was dirty and her breath smelt of alcohol and smoke. I smiled at her and pointed to her bike.

"That yours?" I asked trying to be seductive. She walked over to her bike and sat on it.

"Sure is," she said proudly.

"Can I have a ride…just around the block?" I asked sweetly. She smiled and patted the seat behind her.

"Ben, no! Don't do this, don't be stupid!" Eliza said. She was almost entirely solid. I wrapped my arms around the strange woman's waist as we took off. The wind was flying through my hair, the wind hitting my face; I felt…I felt alive. I could see Eliza running, keeping up with the motorcycle. "Ben, Ben stop−this is…this is stupid!" Eliza begged. I smiled,

"FASTER!" I yelled to the woman. I heard the engine roar as we picked up speed. We drove for about ten more minutes, each minute Eliza got clearer and clearer. It was almost as if she was there, like she had never left. When we returned to the bar I thanked the woman for the ride. I walked back over to Jesse who stared at me stunned.

"Uhh what the hell was that?" he asked as we walked back to his car.

"Just having a little fun," I replied. Jess grabbed me by my shoulders and turned me so that I was facing him.

"A little fun? Ben that woman could have been some kind of psycho! I mean are you some kind of adrenalin junkie now?" We got into the car, and I considered what Jesse had asked.

I smiled and looked out of the window as we drove off. I had discovered a way to see Eliza, and I'd do anything to see her again!


	13. Chapter 13 The Begging of the Triangle

"Ben, why don't you take off," Michelle suggested, her eyes focused off the side, not really looking at me. It was a slow day at Newton's, I'd been working there since…well since the events that had transpired on my birthday had accrued. My mom thought it would help get my mind off things. It didn't, but I thought it best not to argue. As of right now there were only two patrons in the store, one, who looked like one of the men on _Duck Dynasty_ was going on about something he'd seen in the woods.

"I'm telling you," he said to the other. "I've seen grizzlies pretty close up in Yellowstone, but they had nothing on this brute." The other man, who appeared to be more clean than his friend, shook his head and laughed.

"I don't know what you were on, but I want some."

"I'm telling you, this wolf was huge!" I tuned out after he said wolf. I'd seen wolves since I moved her, and none were bigger than my neighbor's Siberian husky.

Michelle leaned in closer to me,

"Seriously Ben, once these two leave I'm closing up." I smiled and took off the tan vest,

"Thanks, Michelle! See yah at school." I put my vest on the rack and walked out the store.

I was in the woods; Eliza was standing across from me. Her face was sour and cold. I didn't want to relive this again, but it seemed that I had no choice. Night after night I had the same damn nightmare.

"It will be as if I never existed." She said coldly, like ice.

Her words ran through my head, lacking the perfect clarity of my hallucination last night. They were merely words, soundless, like print on paper. Though just words they ripped a hole wide open.

"NO!" I yelled as I rose form the bed. I was sweating, and breathing heavy. I was beginning to feel really pathetic; I'd had the same dream so many times one would think that it wouldn't have much of an effect on me. I looked out my window, it was still light outside. I thought of those words, those horrid words. _It will be as if I never existed. _What a stupid and impossible promise. And since she couldn't keep her's, I certainly wouldn't keep the one she's promised for me. From my window I saw my neighbor, Mr. Reed hauling something towards his garbage. I stared in awe as I realized what it was, an old motorcycle. I jumped from my bed and ran downstairs. I yelled his name as I opened the door. He turned and smiled.

"Ah young Benjamin, how are you?" I faked a smile,

"Fine Sir, and you?"

"Ah same old, same." I pointed to the bike by the trash can.

"Are you throwing that away?" He looked at the bike and nodded.

"Yah, old girl hasn't worked for a year, thought it was time to get rid of her. Why?"

"I was wondering if I could have it," I said eagerly. He looked at me, at the bike and then back at me.

"I told yah it don't work."

"I have a friend who might be able to fix it up." Mr. Reed smiled.

"Well in that case, it's yours." I thanked Mr. Reed as I hauled the old bike into the back of my old pickup truck.

The phone rang twice before an answer.

"Ben, Honey is everything okay?" my mother asked panicked. Ever since that night my mother had been worried about me; worried that I might do something…_stupid_. A call in the middle of the day, when she was at work always made her more on edge.

"Yah Mom, everything is fine. I was just calling to let you know that I'm going over to the Black's I haven't seen Julia in a while." My mother was thrilled that I was going over to see Julia. She even extended my curfew.

The drive to Julia's was long, but familiar. When I was little I'd go over all the time. I pulled into the dirt drive way, near the shed. I saw a tall figure standing in the shadows working on something. They only came into the light when the sound of my rusted door swing open broke the silence. I was shocked to see that it was Julia. She'd gotten taller, she was only a few inches shorter than me, and in the past few months and put on more muscle. A huge smile spread across her face when she saw me.

"Why Ben Swan, what do I owe the pleaser?" she said wiping oil off her face. I smiled and motioned for her to come towards the back of my truck. I pulled the tarp off of the hidden bike.

"I just got this," I told her as she examined it. She let out a long whistle.

"It's a 1986 Rabbit," she said in an impressed tone, "very rare. Where did you get it?"

"My neighbor," I said, "he was going to throw it away. I remember how you and your mom fixed up the truck, and I was wondering if you'd like to try to fix this thing up?" Julia gave a wary look.

"I don't know? Does it work?"

"Mr. Reed said no, but I thought that if anyone could restore this it was Julia Black." I hoped the extra faltering would boost my chances at her saying yes. She raised an eyebrow, looked at me, at the bike, and then back at me.

"Alright I'll give it a try, on one condition."

"And what would that be?" I asked curiously. Julia smiled.

"You gotta help me!" I smiled and put out my hand. Julia took mine and we shook.

"Deal," I said. She looked at me enthusiastically. Her smile and energy seemed contagious, just like it had been when we were children. I was suddenly reminded about how much I liked Julia Black. She alone picked up the bike and hauled it to the shed as if it were nothing. She grabbed some tools, looked at me and said,

"Alright than, let's get started!"


	14. Chapter 14 Vision Almost like a Profecy

A few weeks had passed since I had given Julia the bike; I went to her place each day to help work on it. It turns out that restoring an ancient bike is not as easy as one may think. We'd spend hours upon hours working on that thing. We'd order pizza, talk about our days at school, I'd even help Julia with her English homework. On the day before we were to try out the bike Julia told me about some of the strange disappearances and then reappearances of some of the local teenagers.

"So yesterday Embry shows up at school after being gone for a week. He was different…he was serious, and he seemed scared."

"Maybe he was abducted by aliens," I said trying to make light out of her friend's odd behavior. She laughed; that was one of the many great things about Julia, nothing seemed to bother her.

"I actually considered that, that may have been what happened; until Sam showed up when school let out. Embry and Paul left with him. But not before Sam started at stare at me. It was so creepy, like he was waiting for me to do something or for something bad to happen." I nodded and tried not to think of what that reminded me of, but I couldn't stop it, that was how…_she_ used to stare at me when we first met.

I left Julia's soon after, promising to come to her house tomorrow around two to test out our bike. I was excited…yes working with Julia those past weeks had been great, but there was another reason I had done this. To see Eliza again, the notion that doing anything even slightly dangerous I could get to see her. The next day came and I found myself at Julia's. When I pulled up into her driveway I saw her by the newly painted green bike.

"Ready Clumsy?" Julia asked giving me a smug smile. I gave her a small, playful punch on her arm.

"Hey!" I said slightly defensive. Julia shrugged,

"You're up first," she said pointing to the bike. I backed away slightly.

"Um Julia…I've never driven one of those before I'm not sure…"

"Ben, I'll show you, but you're going first!" I hesitated, but gave in and got on the bike. Julia showed me the clutches and the breaks.

"Aren't both breaks kind of important" I asked when she told me the one behind my foot was not the right one to use. She then pointed to the clutch,

"Never let go of this", she said seriously. I nodded my head and motioned for her to move out of the way.

"Alright, I'm ready!" I said excited. Julia nodded and moved. I steady myself and pressed the clutch. I jolted too fast, too soon. I stomped on the breaks and nearly flipped over the handles. Julia was over by me within two seconds.

"Ben are you alright?' She asked scared. I smiled and nodded.

"Wow, even that was a rush!"

"Maybe we should stop for the day," Julia said cautiously. I shook my head violently. Julia didn't argue and backed away. Knowing what to expect this time I eased on the clutch. Suddenly I was flying, like I used to with…with Eliza. I started to go faster, the trees blurred.

"Ben stop this," she said sternly. I looked to my side and saw Eliza staring at me. Her reddish-brown hair flowing behind her, her eyes not the brilliant gold that I loved, but pitch black. The black eyes made her look more real somehow. I smiled and started to go faster, reaching maximum speed. "Ben this is childish, and reckless!" she yelled. "Do you want to die? Is that what you're doing now?" I looked at her, and even though I knew it wasn't her I replied.

"Come back to me, and I will stop." Eliza's apparition disappeared. I looked at the road and saw that I was heading straight for a large bolder. There was no time to stop, I closed my eyes and braced for impact. I felt my body fly off the bike and slam against a smaller rock. I felt blood trickle down my head, but I wasn't worried. I was an easy bleeder. I lied there and smiled, I'd seen her again.

"Ben are you alright?" I heard Julia call as she ran towards me.

"Yah," I said not getting up.

"Oh Ben you're bleeding," she said. Before I could tell her that it was no big deal, she'd taken off her shirt and put it to my head to stop the bleeding. I looked at her for a moment. Her tan body was like a light caramel. She was tone, yet slender.

"What?" she said as she walked me toward my truck. I looked at her and smiled,

"You, you're kind of beautiful." Julia looked at me, and then at herself.

"How hard did you hit your head?" We both laughed. I assured her that I would be fine, and that she was not to worry. I drove home, and once I got into my bed I fell asleep.

The dream was so vivid, I was sure it was real. I didn't know where I was. I was surrounded by people in red, and I was running, running not away from something, but to something, or to someone. I heard a clock chime. I felt terror, pure horror. I looked up and saw the clock tower open. I saw Eliza come out, reveling herself in the sunlight. Everyone, hundreds if not thousands of people turned to stare. Severely figures, hidden under black cloches and hoods took her away, and ripped her limb to limb. My cries were unheard, as people began to run away. The last thing I saw was her head rolling on the ground like a ball, and then a little girl with an evil smile approaching me.

I shot out of bed, drenched in sweat. I knew it was a dream, but it felt too real, like a warning or a vision. I looked out the window and saw only the bright moon, and in the distance I heard a wolf howl into the night sky.


	15. Chapter 15 The Movies

I was sitting alone at lunch, trying to study why Michelle, Jesse, Alex and Erin walked over. They all sat down and began chatting. Apart of me was happy that I had my friends back, another part not so much. Michelle's crush for one had grown since Eliza left, and if I wasn't such a nice person I would have told long ago that she'd date me when Hell froze over, thawed and froze over again.

"So Ben, now that you're back to normal I was wondering if you wanted to see a movie Friday?" I knew she was asking as a date, but I pretended that I didn't.

"Sure sounds like fun. Hey everyone, wanna see a movie Friday?" I asked to the rest of our friends. I know it was a jerk move, but I didn't want to go to a movie alone with Michelle. Everyone said yah. We decided to see the new action-horror movie, The Wendigo. Michelle didn't seem happy, but she didn't confirm it either. Later that day I decided to invite Julia. She was thrilled, she apparently had been dying to see that movie since the monster was based off of Native American mythology. Unfortunately a terrible stomach virus was spreading and Jesse and Erin both got it. Alex canceled to help take care of Erin, so it was going to be Michelle, Julia and me.

We were lucky that Julia was so tall, no one questioned her age when I told them she was seventeen. The movie started out slow. The suspense built, the creature, this Wendigo was truly a monster. There was a lot of blood being spilt. The graphics were actually not cheesy, they were very realistic. Though the movie was good, I wanted it to hurry up and end. I ended up sitting in the middle of Julia and Michelle. Whenever Michelle would get scared she'd try to lean into me, or hold my hand. Julia didn't try something as cliché as that, but her hand was open on the hand rest, open like a bear trap, waiting for mine to fall into it. I was mad, both Michelle and Julia knew what had happen to some extent, and yet here they sit wanting me to…it just irritated me.

Suddenly when the monster's child ripped through the girl's stomach Michelle ran from her seat and out the exit, but she didn't make it. She threw up popcorn, candy corn and soda. After she was done she ran out the theater, as did many others. I was getting up to go check on her when I noticed that Julia was laughing.

"What. A. Marshmallow," she said in-between laughs. I ignored her and went to check on Michelle. I saw her run into the ladies room, and though the walls were thick, I could hear her vomiting. I jolted when a very warm hand touched my shoulder. I turned and saw Julia staring at me.

"How is she?" she asked slightly concerned. The sound of someone vomiting was my answer. Julia let out another laugh. "You should really wait out till you find a girl who laughs at the pathetic weaklings who vomit in movies like that." Julia said pointing to the bathroom door. I smiled,

"Michelle is a good friend, but I've never been interested in her." I said assuring. Julia smiled and grabbed my hands. She pulled me closer to her, and I pulled away.

"Julia…no." I said sternly. She looked at me curiously.

"Why not?" I sat down on the floor and stared at nothing. Julia slid down the wall and sat next to me. "Ben, I know what she did to you, how she hurt you. But I will never do that to you. I promise!" I looked at her, her smooth tan skin, her unique eyes and her raven black hair. By all accounts she was beautiful, I knew she was. And a part of me liked her but not like that. I couldn't be with her, or Michelle, or any other girl for that matter. At least not now.

"Julia, I need time. I'm not saying never, just not now." I hoped that I said it gently enough. Julia smiled and shrugged it off.

"Your loss," she said smugly. I put my hand to her face, to wipe away a stray hair, but the moment I touched her skin I pulled back. She was hot, burning hot. I stared at her concerned, but she seemed confused.

"What is it?" she said looking at me.

"Julia you're burning up. It feels like you have a high fever." I said pulling her up. Her temperature was too high, she must be sick I thought, very, very sick. "We need to take you to the doctor, Michelle probably needs to go too."

"What about a doctor?" Michelle asked as she walked towards us.

"Michelle, Julia is running a high fever, we need to get her to the doctor, and you probably have that stomach flu that's been going around, so it wouldn't hurt for you to go either." Julia shook her head and chuckled.

"I feel fine Ben, seriously." Michelle, sensing an opportunity, intervened.

"Maybe Ben's right? We should take you to the hospital, just to make sure." I saw Julia turn her head so that she was facing Michelle. Something changed about her. Her usually soft face was now twisted with what looked like hate. Her eyes appeared to change to a darker color as well.

"I'm sure you'd like that," she snarled at Michelle, who was now backing away. "I'm sure you'd like to get rid of me so that you could have Ben all to yourself. Well guess what I feel fine, you on the other hand seem really sick. So why don't you go to the hospital…BEFORE I PUT YOU THERE?" I stood in-between Julia and Michelle. I gave Julia a harsh look.

"Julia, what are you doing?" I demanded, not asked. Julia looked dazed, as if just hypnotized. She shook her hand and looked at Michelle and I. Her eyes changed back to normal and so did her face.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I got to go!"

"Julia wait…" I said turning, but she was gone. I looked at Michelle who appeared to still be in shock.

"What's her problem?" she finally asked. I didn't know, I thought that maybe she was just so sick she kind of lost it there for a moment.

I took Michelle home, went back to my house to call Julia, but she didn't answer. I then call her home line, but again there was no answer. I knew in my stomach that something bad had happen, that something was wrong. My mind raced with possibilities, but not even in my wildest imagination could I have guessed what was going on with my best friend.


	16. Chapter 16 Laurent

"Hey Julia, this is Ben again. I'm just calling to check in and see how you're doing. Your Mom said that you had mono. Um…give me a call when you can." That was the fifth message I'd left her since the night of the movie. My mom had called Billie when I told her what had happen; Billie assured my mom that Julia just had a bad case of mono and was ordered to rest, no calls or anything. I knew that it was a lie, I'd seen people with mono, and Julia didn't have it. So I decided that if I wanted answers I'd have to get them myself.

The rain began to pick up fast as I drove over to the Rez. I carefully drove down the now flooded, muddy road that led to the Black house. Through the rain I saw someone exit the back door. The person was barely wearing any cloths, a simple tank-top and short cut-off jean shorts. I had a strong feeling as to who it was.

"Julia?" I shouted as I got out of the car. She stopped walking, but didn't turn around to face me. I ran over to where she was standing and called her by name again. This time she turned around. She was different, her once waist length hair now only hung below the neck. Her face seemed older−like that of someone who had witness something horrific when they were young, and who had aged in a matter of days. I stared at her, waiting for her to say something. She looked fine, health as a horse.

"So," I said harshly, "you're too damn sick to pick up a phone and tell me you're alright, but not sick enough to get a haircut or walk outside in the cold rain with hardly any clothes on?" She didn't answer me, she only looked away. It was then when I saw the tattoo on her shoulder. It was a Native American design; the head of a wolf. "Oh and get a tattoo?" I said pointing to it. I was furious and confused. What could've happen in the past week to make her change like this? Was it the fact that I told her I needed more time? No it couldn't be, she seemed to understand. If not that what?

"Ben, I'm sorry," she said before staring into the woods. I looked to where she was staring at and saw Sam, Embry, Paul and another boy that I didn't know waiting in the trees. "I got to go," she said still not looking at me.

"Oh so what Sam got to you?" I yelled at her. "Is that why you've been avoiding me? What'd going on Julia?" She looked ashamed and sad, but the seriousness in her face washed over that soon enough.

"Ben we can't be friends anymore." No, no, not again. I couldn't lose another person who was so important to me. But this time I didn't feel sorrow or emptiness, but bitter and hate.

"And why the hell not?"

"Because I'm not good for you, I'm not safe to be around anymore." I rolled my eyes and make a disapproving sound. "Ben, I promised you that I wouldn't hurt you, and this is me keeping that promise. Get in your truck, drive home and don't look back. Don't ever come back Ben!" And with that she was gone, she ran off into the woods with Sam and the others. Utterly shocked I did just as she told me, got in my car and drove off.

I was just driving, going in no specific destination. I was going through what had just happen with Julia. Right when I start to become 'okay' again, just when I start to accept…another important person is suddenly ripped from my life. I pulled off the road and down a hidden dirt street. The street was familiar, yet different all at the same time. I got out of my car and walked uphill. For a while I didn't know where I was going exactly; the forest seemed familiar, like something you've seen in a dream, but I just couldn't remember. It wasn't until I came from a thick group of pine trees did I remember.

The meadow was different, it was dead. The once lush, rich emerald grass now resembled ash from a fire. The once thousands of multi-colored wild flowers now chocked to death by thick brown-gray weeds. I walked a little further before I stopped myself. There was no point in going any further…there was no magic without her. I began to turn when I heard the sound of leaves and twigs being stepped on. For a second I allowed myself to believe it was her, that she had come back. I turned and did see a familiar face, but not one that I had excepted.

"Laurent?" I said to the half concealed being. Laurent now fully emerged himself into the field. His eyes were the only thing different about him, they were not crimson liked they'd been the last time I saw him, nor where they gold. They were a dark shade of amber.

"'Bonjour Ben," he said smiling. "I didn't expect to see you here." I smiled and shrugged.

"What can I say, Forks has grown on me." I remember feeling not exactly glad to see him, but not scared either.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were in Alaska?" Laurent nodded his head and began to walk close to me.

"You're right. I did go to Alaska. Still, I didn't except…When I found the Cullen place empty, I thought they'd moved on." He looked at me curiously. "Were you not some kind of pet of theirs? Why did they leave you behind? Do they visit often?" He put his hands on his hips and awaited my response.

Eliza's apparition appeared beside me.

"Lie," it said. I did as I was instructed.

"Now and again. The times seem longer to me, I imagine. They can get distracted." Laurent looked at me unbelieving.

"Hmm. The house smelt like it had been vacant for quite some time." Eliza's voice rang in my ear.

"You must lie better than that, Ben!"

"I'll have to mention that to Esme that you stopped by, but probably not to Eliza. She's still touchy about the whole James thing." I said sternly. Laurent let out a small chuckle.

"Is she really?" I had to change the conversation…fast!

"So how are things working out in Denali? Esme said you were staying with Ty." Ty and his family lived in Denali, Alaska. They were considered the Cullens' cousins since they lived the same way as the Cullens; they feast on the blood of animals not humans. Laurent smiled and nodded.

"I had been spending time with them; I like Ty, and his sister, Irina, even more! But the restrictions are difficult…I'm surprised that any of them can keep it up for so long. Sometimes I cheat." The fear was starting to set in. Instinctively I began to move slightly.

"Don't move!" Eliza's voice said warningly. The question that I asked came out before I could fully process what I was going to say.

"Did Victoria ever find you?"

"Yes, I actually came here as a favor to her." My mind went blank and my heart began to beat fast. Laurent smiled. "She won't be happy about this!" He said in a soft tone, almost to himself.

"About what?" I asked fearful for my life now.

"About me killing you." My eyes went wide, but I refused to look into the amber eyes of my death. "It seems a little backwards to me, but James was her mate, and your Eliza killed him. She thought it more appropriate to kill you than to kill Eliza−fair turnabout, a mate for a mate." I tried to think of something, anything to buy more time.

"Then why not wait for her?" I asked. Laurent sighed,

"Well, you've caught me at a bad time, Ben. I didn't come to this place on Victoria's mission−I was hunting. I'm quite thirsty. I heard Eliza's voice ringing in my ear.

"Threaten him!" she yelled. For the first time since the fear set in I turned my body to face the hungry vampire.

"She'll know it was you. You won't get away with this." Laurent smiled.

"And why not? The scent will wash away with the next rain. No one will find your body you'll simply go missing. There's no reason for Eliza to think of me, if she cares enough to investigate. This is nothing personal; let me assure you, Ben. Just thirst." Death was moments away, and nothing could stop it. Eliza wasn't here to stop the van from crushing me, or to stop James, now Laurent. Eliza's voice yelled again.

"Beg!"

"Please", I said weakly. Laurent smiled and sighed.

"Look at it this way, Ben. You're very lucky I was the one to find you. I'll be very quick. You won't fell a thing, I promise. If you knew what Victoria had planned for you, Ben…I swear you'd be thanking me for this. You are so…mouthwatering" I closed my eyes, not wanting the last thing I ever see to me my killer. I sighed,

"Eliza, I love you!" A loud growl came from the tress behind us. Laurent turned and I opened my eyes. From the trees I could see a pair of yellow glowing eyes staring at us. Then four more pairs appeared. Laurent gasped.

"I don't believe it!" My mouth dropped as I saw a large, horse sized black wolf emerge from the darkness. It looked at Laurent with deadly intent. A gray and white wolf followed, as did a sandy one, a black and white one, a golden one, and the last one, the biggest one of all. A reddish−brown one, the most beautiful one in the pack. I took my eyes off the wolves and onto Laurent. Laurent ran in the opposite directions. The wolves ran after Laurent, running at a speed that only a vampire could. The large reddish−brown wolf stayed behind for a moment to look at me. There was something familiar in its eyes, something human. The wolf rubbed against me before running off into the trees. I fell down to my knees, trying to process the scene that just played in front of me. I didn't understand what I had just witnessed.


	17. Chapter 17 Werewolf

When I was sure that both the wolves and Laurent were not coming back, I ran for my truck. I ran faster than I thought possible, it's funny how fear can motivate a person. I slammed the door and put the key into the ignition. I stomped on the accelerator and drove away as fast as I could. The scene kept playing over and over in my mind. I was trying to make sense of everything, of why Laurent, a vampire, would be afraid of a few oversized dogs. I also couldn't think of a reason why the wolves would peruse Laurent, I highly doubted he smelt like food. I jolted to a stop, turned the car off, and ran inside of my house.

"Mom?" I called out as I shut the door. I heard her respond from the kitchen. I ran into it, nearly knocking down the large grandfather clock in the process.

"Ben, is everything alright?" my mother asked from the table. I shook my head and proceeded to tell her as much as I could.

"Mom, there are wolves, huge horse sized wolves in the woods!" My mother studied, my face for a moment, trying to see any deception in it. At least when she decided that I was not joking, nor lying, she went to the landline.

"I'm gonna call Billie, see if she knows anything." Billie! Julia was out in the woods, what if the wolves…I couldn't finish the thought. I told my mom that I was going to go and get a milk shake, and that I'd be back soon. I got into my car and drove. I knew that those wolves were dead, and that Laurent would inform Victoria that I was defenseless.

I couldn't care about that at the moment; I had to tell Julia about the wolves, even though I was sure that they were dead. When I got to the Black house all the lights were out. I walked to the front door and saw Billie sitting in her wheelchair drinking coffee. I knocked three times. Billie gave me a somber look when she saw me. She put her coffee down and wheeled over to the door.

"She's not home," she said. Suddenly a load snore came from another room behind her, a room I knew to be Julia's. Though rude, I pushed myself in and ran towards her room. I opened the door and saw Julia lying face down on her bed. She was dead asleep; she must've needed it. I was getting ready to leave when I heard someone call Julia's name from outside. I looked out the window and saw Sam, Paul, Embry, and the other boy walking towards the house.

Maybe it was from eluding death, yet again, but I decided that I was going to ask Sam what he had done to Julia. I marched out the back door and started to walk fast over to the group of guys. I heard the strange boy tell Paul something, something about a "leech-lover". When I was about two feet away from the four of them I began to ask questions.

"What did you do to her?" I asked angrily. Paul stepped in front of Sam and laughed.

"What did we do?" he said in a mocking tone.

"What did she tell you?" Embry asked, though I did not take my eyes off of Paul.

"Nothing, she tells me nothing, because she is afraid of you!" I yelled at them. Paul began to laugh, and before I could think I saw my arm raise, my hand ball into a fist, and saw my arm swing over and hit Paul in the face. My hand felt as if I had hit a cement brick, I was sure it was broken. I clutched my hand and screamed in pain. I half expected to see Paul flat on his back, thinking I must've hit him hard, but he was still standing. He was breathing heavy and Sam was trying to comfort him.

"Paul he doesn't know, you can't do this!" It didn't work, and Paul got redder by the minute. Soon Paul let out a roar, no a howl. The transformation was almost too fast to see, one moment there was a man, and the next there was a horse sized wolf. The gray and white wolf stalked towards me, snarling. I turned and began to run. I saw Julia running towards me. I yelled at her to get away.

"Julia. Run!" I shouted, but she kept coming forward. I tripped just as Julia jumped in the air. For a moment time paused. I saw half her body as it was, normal; the other half had a large wolf head and neck. The rest of the body turned into that of a wolf's. Julia…or the wolf landed on all fours and growled at the other. Both wolves stalked each other before attack. They bit, clawed and rolled into the woods, breaking Billie's old row boat along the way. I'd seen some strange things since I'd moved to Forks, but none as strange as that. The rest of the boys stared too. Embry and the other seemed impressed, while Sam looked concerned.

"Embry, help Ben, and take him to Emily's. Jared go track those two down." The other boy, Jared, nodded his head and turned into a sandy wolf. Embry walked over to me, and crouched down so that we were at eye level. He smiled,

"Well, wolf's out of the bag now!" he said. He made sure I got to my feet and into the passenger side of my truck before he started to drive. I stared out into the forest, and contemplated what I had just seen. There was no getting around it…Julia Black was a werewolf!


	18. Chapter 18 Right kind of Monster

There was no getting around it…Julia Black was a werewolf!

Embry drove through the Reservation, I looked out the window replaying the scene of Julia jumping high into the air and transforming into the large reddish-brown wolf. I came out of the trance when Embry pulled into a gravel driveway. The driveway was long, maybe a mile. At the end of the drive way stood what looked like a two story cabin. Behind the cabin was part of the LaPush beach. Embry parked the car, and looked at me.

"Okay Dude, whatever you do don't stare at Emily, it really bugs Sam." He got out of the car and walked into the house. I thought nothing of it, just that Sam was a protective boyfriend. The door led straight into the kitchen. I could smell something chocolaty being baked. I saw Jared sitting at the table with Embry, Sam was stroking a woman's hair. The moment I stepped into the kitchen the woman turned. I was startled when I saw her, but I didn't show it. The right side of the woman's face was littered in scars that ran from her forehead down to her neck. The woman smiled,

"Is this him?" she asked Sam. Sam nodded his head. Emily stuck out her hand,

"So, you're Vampire Boy," she said while I shook her hand. I silently chuckled.

"Yah," I said, "you must be the Werewolf Girl." Emily laughed. During her distraction the three boys went straight for the muffins.

"Hey," Emily shouted at them, "save some for the others, and our guest," she said looking at me. I took one of the muffins and began to eat it when the front door opened. In stepped Julia and Paul, who were surprisingly not mad, but instead laughing?

"No I won," boasted Paul, who came over to me. He slapped me hard on my back resulting in my coughing up the muffin. "Sorry about earlier Ben," he said smiling. Emily handed me a glass of milk.

"No," cough. "Problem," cough. Julia grabbed a muffin as well and looked at me; she motioned for us to go outside. I really didn't want to, but I figured I had to.

We walked along the beach for a while, not talking. The silence was adding to my anxiety. Finally unable to handle the silence I started to speak.

"So…you're a werewolf." I said to Julia.

"Yup, I guess so," she said in an unusual monotone tone. I tried to think of something to say.

"Awesome," I said sarcastically. I continued to walk on, but Julia stopped. I looked over at her, she seemed very upset. "What?" I asked her.

"God you're such a hypocrite, Ben. What am I not the right kind of monster for you?"

"It's not what you are," I said to her. "It's what you do, I mean chasing after vampires that's dangerous." I expected Julia to agree, but she snickered instead.

"Oh Please," she said smiling, "it's not that dangerous. I mean we took out that vampire with the dreads." My eyes widened and my mouth dropped.

"What, you got Laurent?" I asked stunned. Julia smiled a wide smile.

"Yah that vampire in that meadow, he's gone. And his red-headed girlfriend is next."

"Victoria has been here?"

"Yah, but she always seems to elude us somehow? How do you know all these leeches?" Leeches? Is that what they called them.

"Um it's a long story," I told her wanting to avoid the subject all together. I told Julia that I needed to go home, that Charlotte and I had planned something. She didn't believe me, but she didn't try to talk me into staying. When I got home, I plopped into my bed and let sleep overtake me.


	19. Chapter 19 Cliff Diving

Julia and I had made up, well sorta, we talked about the events that had happen, why I needed more time to heal, how I knew so many vampires, or "leeches", and what her duties were now that she was a werewolf. I'd come to grips with that, it honestly wasn't that big of a deal. But today, for whatever reason depression had a strong hold over me. Julia wasn't answering her phone, and I couldn't be in the house, it was like a prison cell. I had to have something to Do, something to make me feel better, but what? Ridding the bikes no longer allowed me to see Eliza; I'd become too good for it to be dangerous.

An idea hit me, it was crazy and that's what made it perfect…cliff diving! I'd seen Julia's friends do it all the time while I was helping her fix the bikes up. The notion was simple, climb to the top of the bluff, and jump into the water. Julia assured me that it was safe, that the water was deep enough, but I was hoping that the adrenalin from jumping off an eighty foot cliff would allow me to see her again. The drive was only fifteen minutes long, and in those fifteen minutes I was battling myself on whether or not I wanted to do this. The reward was everything, to see Eliza, if not for only a few precious seconds, the consequences could be broken bones or even death. I decided that the reward outweighed the consequences and once I parked I started the climb.

It had started to rain, and the wind was picking up, even from the base of the cliff I could hear waves crashing into it. As I climbed higher and higher I felt something or someone watching me. I looked around a few times and saw nothing, so I continued with the mission. Once I reached the top of the cliff I peered over to get a better idea of how the water looked. The water was a deep blue, maybe even black. The waves were strong and crashed hard into the face of the cliff. I took in a deep breath and took my jacket off.

"What do you think you're doing?" her voice said from behind me. I turned and saw her, my Eliza, staring at me with concern and disappointment. "You don't have to do this?" she said not approving. It felt silly but she seemed so real, like I could reach out and touch her that I talked back. "It's the only way you'll stay with me; the only way I can see you." I walked towards the edge of the cliff, and closed my eyes.

"Ben, don't!" Eliza cried, but it was too late. My stomach was in my throat, my wind being beaten by sea salt and wind. For a moment it felt like I was flying, not falling. Never once during my fall did I open my eyes; I just let gravity pull me down. After what seemed like only a mere few seconds I felt my feet hit the water, then my legs, my thighs, my stomach, soon I was completely submerged. I let the dark water consume me. I opened my eyes while underwater, seeing rays of light penetrate through the surface, the bubbles floated like hundreds of little jellyfish to the surface. I smiled and swam up. I let out a victorious cry when my head broke through the surface. I had jumped eighty feet and survived, I had seen Eliza, I had won. I felt the water that surrounded me pull a little, like a rubber band. I looked to my side and saw a huge wave starting to take form. The twenty foot wall of water rose above me, and without mercy crashed directly on top of me. I was sent down into the water, my body being tossed like a sock in the washing machine. I kicked my legs as hard as I could to get to the top. My head crashed through the surface, and I gasped for air. Before I could fully take in the breath another wave crashed on top of me. I opened my eyes underwater, looking for a place to swim, to get out. But I only saw death, not in the shape or form of water, but in a predator.

Though the water was dark, I could see her swimming. Victoria was closing in fast. Her thick red hair was flowing behind her. I swam away fast, hitting my head on the sunken part of the cliff. My head felt light, and I felt blood ooze out. I started to sink, hoping that the water would take me before Victoria. I smiled as I saw Eliza. Her face was saddened, she looked pained, but she was here, she'd be the last thing I saw before I died. I felt a strong hand grab me, and start pulling me upwards. In a last ditch effort to avoid dying by Victoria's hands I opened my mouth and took in a deep breath of water…the world went black.

"_Breath Ben…Breath…" _I heard a voice say. I coughed up water, and felt a warm hand supporting my head. "Oh thank god," the voice said. I opened my eyes and saw Julia looking down at me. She had a mixture of joy and disappointment on her face. "Ben, what the hell were you thinking?" she asked. Not wanting nor willing to tell her the truth, I lied.

"I um was just cliff diving." I said still trying to breathe properly. Julia rolled her eyes,

"Well you could've been killed, there is a leech on the loose, the red head." I just nodded my head. Julia helped me to my truck and started to drive me home.

"Thank you Julia," I said as I started to get out. Suddenly Julia reached over and slammed my door shut. "What?" I asked. Julia turned the truck back on.

"There is a vampire," she said scanning the area. I did as well and was shocked by what I saw.

"That's Esme's car," I said when I saw the familiar black Mercedes. I opened the car door and started for my house. I heard Julia get out of the car as well.

"Ben, wait!" she shouted. I looked at her, and at my house.

"Julia it's fine." I told her anxious to get inside. Julia pulled back again.

"Ben this is Cullen territory, I can't protect you here." She looked scared, it was the first time I had ever seen her look scared. I pulled my arm from her grip and ran into my house. I swung open the door and the lights immediately turned on. I turned towards where the light switch was located and felt the breath leave my body.

"Alice?"


	20. Chapter 20 She Thinks You're Dead

"Alice?"

I stared at the figure at the other end of the hall, and saw that it really was Alice. I ran over to her and hugged her tightly, though she hardly felt anything. She didn't say or move as I hugged her, she just stood as still as a statue.

"Oh Alice I'm so happy to see you…"

"Ben, would you care to explain to me how the Hell you are alive?" she asked pushing away. She looked as if she'd seen a ghost. I looked at her not understanding what she'd meant.

"What?" I asked.

"Ben, I saw you jump from the cliff. What the hell were you thinking?" she asked in a higher tone than normal.

"I wasn't…I guess," I said trailing off. I felt my body being pressed into her's as she hugged me tight to her.

"Oh Ben I've missed you so much," she said as she continued to hug me. Though it hurt a bit I didn't care, I was just happy to have my best friend back. But the happiness vanished when I thought of Eliza. Alice sighed heavily,

"She's not here Ben," she answered, probably seeing the question I was planning on asking her. I nodded my head, already knowing that she wasn't. I pulled away and forced a smile on my face.

"It's good to see you Alice." Alice smiled and replied with an,

"I know." I walked to the couch and Alice followed. I sat down in my water drenched clothing and pulled myself into an upright fetal position. Alice sat down across me, and sighed. "You know, not in my entire existence have I known a person to be so danger prone." She said this with kindness, and I couldn't help but smile.

"What can I say; I'm very talented in that department." Alice laughed a little before making a face.

"Okay Ben, what is that god-awful wet dog smell?" I forced back a laugh and simply replied,

"Oh that's probably Julia."

"Who's Julia," she asked looking me with concerned eyes.

"Oh she's um…she's a werewolf." I said as calmly as I could. Alice on the other hand looked like she was going to have a fit.

"A werewolf?" she asked harshly. "You've befriended a werewolf?" I looked at her not understanding why that was such a big deal.

"Yah, is that a problem?" I asked her. Alice rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"Yes it's a problem…a big problem. Ben, werewolves are not good company to keep, they are unpredictable. The younger they are the more high the risk. They smell, they are rude, they don't listen to reason and…"

"And one is right behind you." I heard Julia say. I looked over Alice's shoulder and saw Julia standing in the doorframe. I got on my feet and walked in-between the two supernatural beings.

"Julia what are you doing here, I thought you couldn't protect me here?" I asked. Julia gave a sly smile and shrugged.

"Guess I don't care." I smiled at her and wanted to give her a hug, but I was distracted by Alice.

"We may have left, but this is still our land you…mutt." She said in a tone of discuss that I never thought possible coming from her. Julia let out a low snarl.

"Watch it leech," she warned. I was about to say something when Alice started to the door. Panic began to set in as she turned the knob.

"Alice, wait!" I practically yelled. Alice turned and smiled at me.

"Ben, I'll come right back, I promise. Just as soon as you put the dog out." Alice smiled and walked out of the house. I couldn't help but smile too, she was funny and I was beyond happy to see her. Julia turned to me and sighed.

"I should probably get going too; I'm needed at the Clearwater's. Sue died from a heart attack this afternoon. My eyes grew as I took in the news. Sue Clearwater was dead, one of Charlotte's good friends. I felt instantly guilty for jumping off the cliff. I'd come so close to death the same day on of my mom's good friends had passed. If Julia hadn't saved me…it would have also been the death of my mother. Knowing this I gave Julia a hug.

"Thank you," I told her still embracing her. Julia chuckled,

"For what?" she asked looking at me funny. I shrugged because there was so much that she'd done that I was thankful for.

"For everything Julia Black, for everything you've done." We both smiled at each other, and before I knew it I found myself leaning in closer to her, she followed. We were centimeters away from each other when the phone began to ring. Julia cursed under her breath before answering the phone.

"Swan residence," she said into the speaker. I waited to see if it was Charlotte calling to check up on me, but Julia never gave me the phone. Her eyes grew cold and dark. She backed away from me as she spoke to the unknown person. "No, I'm afraid Chief Swan is not here at the moment, she's arranging a funeral!" With that Julia slammed the phone down on the receiver and looked at me. "She's always getting in the way," she said in a cold voice.

"Who is?" I asked her, "Julia who was that?" Julia began to back away and started to breath, like she was trying to control herself.

"Ben back away," she warned. I found myself not listing wanting to know who that was, having a good idea in my mind.

"Julia who was that?" I now demanded. Before she could answer the front door opened and Alice rushed over to me. She grabbed me and made it so I was facing her. I could see the fear in her eyes, and I felt myself becoming fearful too.

"Ben, its Eliza. She thinks you're dead." Alice said in a shaky voice. I looked at her not knowing what she was talking about.

"What?" I asked starting to breath heavy.

"Emmett told her why I came back, about how I saw you jump off the cliff. She thinks you're dead, and she wants to die too. She's going to Italy, to provoke the Voltuir." Alice said in dry sobs. My mind practically crashed. All I knew was that Eliza thought I was dead, and that she was going to try to get herself killed. I looked at Julia, who now stared at me. Anger, rage and hatred consumed me.

"HOW DARE YOU!" I yelled at her. "HOW DARE YOU NOT LET ME TALK TO HER…YOU STUPID MUTT." I wanted so bad to say something more, but was unable to find any words. I felt Alice pull me back and look at me with sorrow.

"Ben I'm sorry, I have to go I have to try and stop her."

"I'm going too, and that's not debatable." I said not looking away from Julia. Alice called the airport and got tickets as I wrote a quick note to my mother.

~_Mom, Eliza is in trouble and I have to go help her. I'm with Alice, and will be alright. Be back in a couple of days,_

_Love you! _

_Ben._

I slammed the pen and paper down and ran outside to get into the car with Alice. Julia followed me, trying to talk me out of it.

"She didn't want you anymore Ben, she doesn't love you." She told me. I never looked at her, still beyond angry at her.

"I'm not going to let her die," I yelled back at her. I got into the passenger side of the car, and told Alice to drive. Before she could leave Julia leaned into the car and put her hand on the keys, stopping us from going.

"Ben, please listen to me. Stay here with me, let Alice go and save her. Just please stay." There were tears in her eyes, and even thought I was angry I felt bad for doing this to her.

"I. Have. To. Go," I said removing her hand from the keys. I could see her heart breaking, and though apart of me wanted to stay, more of me had to go. "Drive." I told Alice. She started the car and drove away. I saw Julia still standing in the middle of the road. I closed my eyes until I was sure that we were far enough away. I stared into the dark night sky, knowing that somewhere Eliza believed me dead, and that now it was my turn to save her. I had to save her from not only one vampire, or a normal coven of them, but from a sadistic, blood thirsty, royal family of them, and apart of me was convinced that death only awaited both Eliza and I in the small city of Volterra.


	21. Chapter 21 The Clock Tower

I didn't sleep the entire plane ride; all I could think about was getting there too late. The thought of Eliza being ripped apart and being burned was enough to drive me to insanity. I couldn't let it happen, even if she didn't love me, I still loved her, and I had to save her. I looked at Alice and started to open my mouth when she answered,

"She's still driving, Ben," she answered with a harsh snap. I sunk into my seat, knowing that my incisive questions were only adding to Alice's stress.

"Sorry," we both said to each other at the same time. Risking the chance of having my head ripped off I asked Alice a question.

"I thought the leader…Aaron or whatever his name was, was Esme's friend? She wouldn't kill Eliza." I was hopeful, maybe Alice hadn't thought of that. Alice didn't meet my hopeful gaze, she looked down.

"Aro…is Esme's friend, but Caius he loathes Esme. He thinks she is a discus to the vampire world. He would love an excuse to cause her pain, and Jane…" Alice stopped when she said that name. I looked at her not understanding, who was Jane? Alice answered, she'd seen me asking I assumed. "Jane is their most powerful weapon. Her gift is too cause one to feel pain, like being set on fire." I shuddered at the thought; being burned alive had once been my worst fear. Alice grabbed my hand and looked at me in the eye. Her once happy, fairy like face was now worn and tired looking. "Ben, you're also in much danger; the Voltuir's number one rule is to keep the existence of vampires a secret, and you are a human who knows entirely too much…they have enough reason to kill us all, but more so you." I didn't care if I died, to be honest I'd died back in September, this was about saving Eliza. I turned away and looked out the window. The landscape was breathtaking. Under normal circumstances one would find only happiness in this place, but all I saw was death and despair.

The plan landed an hour later. Alice and I were the first ones off the plane. We rushed to the car rental area of the large international airport. Alice didn't stop to talk to the clerk at the desk. She simply found a fancy yellow car and hotwired it. I stared at her shock. She motioned for me to get in the car.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't think you'd be opposed to grand theft auto." I got into the passenger side and strapped the seat belt around me,

"Not today," I told her as she began to drive off.

We were ten minutes away from the city when Alice's eyes seemed to fixate on something.

"What is it? What do you see?" I asked panicked.

"They…they've denied her request. Aro doesn't want to hurt Esme…Eliza is going to revile herself. There is a festival going on today. St. Marcus Day, the day St Marcus banished the vampires from the city. She's going to wait until twelve when the sun is at its highest." Alice finished while looking even more panicked. She slammed down on the acceleration. I looked over at the car's clock and saw that it was eleven fifty; I felt my heart sink, it was over I was too late! Alice was going over one hundred miles now, desperate to reach the town in time.

Perhaps it was God giving me hope, or Satan hoping to see me fail, but Alice and I got to the town with two minutes to spare. I began to breathe normally again, we'd done it; we were going to save her. Then Alice stopped, she turned to me and grabbed both my hands. "Ben, you're the only one who's mind Eliza can't penetrate, you're the one who has to stop her, otherwise she'll just rush into it." I understood what she was saying and jumped from the car. I began running. I pushed through the immense group of people who gathered in the streets. They gave me angry looks and shouted at me in Italian. My heart was beating, but I was not breathing. I just ran, ran towards the towering clock tower that ticked away uncaring. Time was against me, and with each ticking of the clock I felt the world laughing.

I felt like I was trapped inside one of those terrifying nightmares, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can't make your body move fast enough. My legs seemed to move slower and slower as I fought my way through the callous crowd, but the hands on the huge clock tower didn't slow. With relentless, uncaring force, they turned inexorably toward the end, the end of everything. But this was no dream, and, unlike the nightmare, I wasn't running for my life; I was racing to save something infinitely more precious. My own life meant little to me today. Alice had said there was a good chance we would both die here. Perhaps the outcome would be different if she weren't trapped by the brilliant sunlight; only I was free to run across this bright, crowded square. And I couldn't run fast enough. So it didn't matter to me that we were surrounded by our extraordinarily dangerous enemies. As the clock began to toll out the hour, vibrating under the soles of my sluggish feet, I knew I was too late, and I was glad something bloodthirsty waited in the wings. For in failing at this, I forfeited any desire to live. Finally I broke through the crowd and saw the clock tower. But it was too late, the two hands hit together at the twelve. The clock chimed and the doors opened. I stopped frozen in place by the image that was in front of me. It was Eliza, not an illusion that formed from fear and danger, but her. My mind seemed to cease working, for I forgot why I was running. Eliza began to move forward. I knew within seconds she'd be left exposed to the sun, reviling what she really was. I felt my feet began to move at incredible speed. I ran through the street and yelled at her.

"NO, ELIZA DON'T!" I screamed at her. She didn't seem to hear and continued to walk forward. Though most of the crowd's attention was away from the clock tower, a little girl turned when she heard me yell. She saw Eliza's skin sparkling in the sun and began to tug on her mother. I knew once the woman saw she'd scream and the chain reaction would fall like a stack of dominos. Time seemed to pause, or at least move in extremely slow motion. I climbed up the stairs and yelled again for Eliza to stop. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see her being taken away by whoever waited inside of the tower. Suddenly I hit something hard. I felt arms wrap around me. I opened my eyes and looked down. Eliza's arms were wrapped around me, her head on my chest. She sighed happily and smiled.

"Esme was right, I have a soul…I'm in heaven." She still thought I was dead. I grabbed her and forced her to look up at me.

"Eliza looked at me. I'm alive, you're not dead, I'm not dead! We're alive! Look at me." Eliza's eyes widened and she smiled. She wrapped her arms around my neck and smiled.

"Ben," she cooed. My heart melted and I smiled too. She rushed us both backwards into the tower and shut the door. She pressed her lips to mine, and began to kiss me passionately. She pushed me against a wall and continued to kiss me. I only pulled away when I had to breathe. I felt so complete in her arms, but I was so confused.

"I don't understand? I didn't think you cared about me anymore?" Eliza's eyes filled with sorrow and regret.

"I didn't think you'd believe any of what I said, I thought you knew better." I gave a weak laugh.

"Of course I believed what you said. It doesn't make sense for you to love me. I am nothing special; I'm not good for you." I would've continued had my lips not suddenly been occupied. Eliza kissed me with passion that I didn't know was possible.

"I lied," she said pulling away. "It was all lie, Ben. I love you so much, that's why I left. I thought that your life would be better without me."

"Well it wasn't!" I said to her. "How could you think that?" Eliza looked down avoiding my eyes. I was mad, furious even that she could think that, that she left. But I'd deal with that latter. I grabbed her and kissed her.

I heard someone cough and pulled away. Two men, one small, one very large stood across from Eliza and I. The large one walked forward.

"Aro wishes to speak with you," he said to Eliza. Eliza nodded and turned to me.

"Ben, why don't you go and enjoy the festival?" Eliza suggested. I began to shake my head why the smaller one came forward.

"Oh no, the boy comes with us." He said with a smile. Eliza stepped forward and pushed me back.

"No, you can go to hell!" The two started to walk forward when the tower doors open. I turned and saw Alice walk in; she removed the scarf on her head and smiled.

"Oh boys, come now. There is a festival going on, no need to make a seen." The two vampires considered this when the sound of someone walking towards us. A little girl, either twelve or thirteen walked towards us. Everyone looked scared, and back away.

"Jane," Eliza said looking even more terrified. I looked at the girl with wide eyes. This was Jane? The vampire who Alice made sound like a monster? The girl smiled before looking at the two strange vampires.

"Aro sent me to see what was taking so long," she said in a soft musical voice. I couldn't believe she was dangerous. She turned to look at the three of us and motioned for us to follow. We all followed her down a flight of stairs and into an elevator. She pressed a button and we started or descent. Eliza held me close. "Don't be afraid," she whispered in my ear. I turned to her,

"I'm not." I said looking into her eyes. The little girl, Jane, snorted. Eliza pulled me further away from her. The elevator stopped and the doors open in front of two other large wooden doors. Jane got out and we all followed suit. She opened the two doors and walked into a room, made entirely out of marble. A man with black hair stood from a throne and smiled.

"Welcome," he said, and for the first time since I entered the building I felt true terror.


	22. Chapter 22 The Ancients

"Welcome," he said, and for the first time since I entered the building I felt true terror.

Those words were never more unsettling. The man's voice was chilling and high pitched. He began to walk towards us, his arms outstretched. A young boy, as breath taking as the little girl, Jane, walked in front of the man with long black hair and smiled.

"Ah, Sister they send you out for one and you come back with two…and a half," he said looking at me. "Such a cleaver girl," he said hugging her. The man with the black hair finally reached us, his hands opened wide.

"Ah would you look at this, what a happy surprise, so Ben is alive after all. Isn't that wonderful? Oh I do love a happy ending, for they are so rare." He took Eliza's hands in his and began to stare into space. Eliza looked over and caught me staring.

"Aro can see every thought I've ever had, with one touch." I didn't make eye contact with the strange vampire, fearing what he'd do. Aro chuckled and continued to speak with Eliza.

"He means a great deal to you…but he also appeals to your thirst…" Aro turned to me and I forced myself to look into his milky red eyes. "He is your singer…he makes me thirsty," he said with enthusiasm. "I thought Esme was exceedingly gifted with her restraint, but you my child put her to shame!" He finished still glaring at me. Eliza looked at me, and then back at Aro.

"It's not without difficulty," Eliza said holding me closer. Aro smiled and looked at the two other ancient looking vampires that were behind him.

"Isn't this extraordinary?" His enthusiasm was not met with the dark haired one, who seemed to have lived to many millennia to find anything _extraordinary_, and the white haired one's face was sour, as if tasting something horrific. Aro didn't seem to notice their unenthusiastic moods, and continued doing what he was doing. He turned back and looked at Eliza.

"May I?" he said holding out his hands. Eliza pulled me tighter,

"Ask him," she said. I instantly knew what Aro wanted; he wanted to see my thoughts. Wanting to avoid any…aggravated stress I held out my hands. Aro smiled and grabbed mine. I was surprised by the coldness of his hand. Unlike Eliza's and the other Cullens' coldness which felt like they had just come from a freezer or a blizzard, the coldness that admitted from Aro was like death.

Aro stared into space for a moment, and then at me.

"Nothing," he muttered in almost a whisper. "I see nothing, nothing at all." Aro backed away slightly, smiling. "I wonder if he is immune to all of us…Jane I would like to see if he is immune to you," he said staring at the little blonde girl. Eliza's eyes widened,

"NO!" She shouted as she pushed herself in front of me. The little girl smiled,

"Pain," she uttered. Suddenly Eliza's body contorted. She fell to the floor and began to wriggle in what appeared to be immense pain. Alice rushed over and held Eliza so that she stopped her from convulsing. Eliza began to scream in pain, begging the little girl to stop. I tour my gaze away from Eliza and at the little girl, whose smile filled me with even more anger.

"STOP IT YOU LITTLE WITCH!" I shouted at her. Jane removed her gaze from Eliza and at me. Her smile vanished completely. She looked at Aro who gave her a small nod. Jane looked at me, and smiled.

"This may hurt just a little," she said gleefully. I braced myself for pain, pain that was able to break a vampire. But the pain never came. Jane's smile slowly faded as she realized that her gift had no effect on me. Suddenly a strange demonic laugh erupted from Aro's lips. He clapped his hands and stared at me mesmerized.

"How remarkable, he is immune to all." His smile and gleeful gaze took on a sadistic one. "So what to do with you now?"


	23. Chapter 23 He Will Be One of Us

"So what to do with you now?"

"You already know what you're going to do Aro," the other dark haired vampire uttered uncaring. The white haired vampire gave a disgusting, sinister smiled.

"He's a liability, he knows too much!" Aro sighed and looked distraught, but I knew it was an act.

"Such a waste…Felix," he said looking over at the very large vampire. I felt the wind and my body turn. I saw in the corner of my eye Jane smile, waiting anxiously to see my death. I watched as Felix walked closer to me, a small smile forming.

"NO!" I heard Eliza screech. Then I felt my body twirl and I was suddenly standing across the room. I saw Eliza run at Felix and ponce of him like a lioness. She snarled and hit Felix. In return he growled and threw her high into the air. I gasped in horror when I saw him grab her midair and slam her into the marble floor. Eliza lay motionless, what looked like a large crack formed along the side of her face.

"Stop," I said in a whisper. Felix released Eliza's throat and started to walk towards me again. I clenched my fist and waited. There was another flash and I again saw Eliza trying to rip his head off. Felix seemed to lose all concern with me as he fought Eliza. I watched in terror as he threw her across the room and into a marble table. He then picked her up by her legs and threw her towards Aro and the other ancients. He grabbed her by the sides of her head and started to pull. I heard the metallic screeching and knew instantly what it was. Somewhere inside of me I snapped and I ran forward towards Aro. "No, please, PLEASE!" I shouted at the top of my lounges. Aro put a hand up towards Felix, and the horrid metallic screeching stopped. I sighed and looked into Eliza's eyes. "I love you," I whisper to her, before looking back at Aro. "Kill me, kill me. Not her, please don't hurt her." I begged. Aro smiled and stared at me in fascination. He walked closer to me, stopping only inches away from me.

"How remarkable, you are willing to give your life for her? For a soulless monster." I began to shake with rage, I never let Eliza get away with saying that she didn't have a soul, and I would be dammed if I let this creep get away with it. I pointed a finger in Aro's face, walking even closer, erasing any space that had been between us.

"YOU. KNOW. NOTHING. ABOUT. HER. SOUL!" I said to him, anger and rage rang from my voice. I looked around the room momentarily and saw that the others were shocked, even the white haired ancient and the witch, Jane. Aro too looked bewildered. Perhaps no one had ever stood up to him before, maybe I was too stupid to do so, but I didn't care. With one last act of defiance I spat on the floor near Aro's feet.

I'd expected to die instantly after that, but instead I was still conscience. Aro still staring at me.

"How extraordinary," he said placing the back of his hand on my face, stocking it. He turned to where Felix held Eliza and looked at her. "Such a pity you don't wish to make him immortal, he'd prove to be quite a treasure." I prayed that once I was dead Eliza would not do anything stupid. Aro suddenly leaned in closer to me, his mouth centimeters away from my throat.

"WAIT!" Alice screamed. Aro growled, but he pulled back and looked at her. "Ben will be one of us, I've seen it!" Alice said knowingly. Aro cocked his head to the right and motioned for Jane's brother to let Alice go. She walked towards him, taking off her gloves. "Let me show you," she said placing her hand into his. The moment Aro's hand enclosed around Alice's his eyes dilated like Alice's do when she sees something. After a moment his eyes returned to normal and a wide smile spread across his face. He stood there shaking with glee, like a child in a toy store, holding back what could only be a joyful laugh. He looked at me and then at Eliza, motioning for her to be let go.

"Go now, all of you. Make your arrangements." He said excitedly. The white haired vampire looked pissed, and he added,

"Keep in mind that the Voltuir do not give second chances." Eliza wrapped an arm around my waist and led me out of the room.

"Goodbye my young friends," Aro added as the door closed.

We were being led out my Demetri, who had accompanied Felix to retrieve Eliza when this ordeal had first begun. The silence was broken when the mummer of what sounded to be a group of people filled the long hallway. I looked up and saw a person, who was obviously a vampire, who looked like Mrs. Roger Rabbit, leading a group of people towards where I'd just been. The knowledge hit me hard as I saw that there where children in the group, their eyes wide as they looked at their surroundings. Once we were close enough Demetri leaned into the female vampire and whispered,

"Nice fishing," in which the female vampire responded.

"They do look rather juicy, don't they?"

"Save some for me," Demetri said as he kissed her neck. I wanted to tell them all to run, to get out, but fear kept me from it. Eliza leaned into me.

"Cover your ears," she whisper and I knew what was coming. Against my better judgment I looked down and into the face of a small boy who smiled and waved at me. I smiled too, but held back a sob as I knew his time had come. Once we were away from the group I covered my ears as hard as I could, but it was useless for I heard them all scream as they were preyed upon by the ruthless, and sinister monsters in the other room.


	24. Chapter 24 The Truth

"I don't want to sleep," I said trying to fight the urge to close my eyes. We'd been in the air for five hours, and Eliza was still insistent that I rest. I gave her a reason why, a reason that seemed to satisfy her. "If I close my eyes, I'll see those people, and I'll see them die over and over again!" She didn't argue with me after that. It would've been a good time to talk, to get the answers I needed—needed but not really wanted; I was already despairing at what I might hear. So I bit my tongue against the floor of my mouth to keep myself from asking.

So I kept drinking sodas, and fighting the urge to close my eyes, fearing that when I opened them she'd be gone. Eliza though, kept holding me, kissing my forehead, my hair, my face, but never my lips, which was good. After all, how many times could a heart be mangled, and expected to continue to beat? I'd lived through a lot that should have finished me off over the last few days, but knowing that didn't make me feel strong, instead I felt horribly weak.

Eliza didn't speak, perhaps she was hoping I'd sleep, maybe she had nothing to say. I had won the fight against my heavy lids. I was awake when we reached the airport in Atlanta, and I even watched as the sun rose over Seattle's cloud covering before Eliza slid the window shut. Neither Eliza nor Alice were surprised by the reception that awaited us at Sea-Tac airport, but it did catch me off guard. Jasper was the first one I saw—but he didn't see me. His eyes were only for Alice. She went quickly by his side; they didn't embrace as other couple would. Carlisle and Esme waited in a quiet corner far from the metal detectors, in a shadow of a wide pillar. Esme reached for me, hugging me fiercely, yet awkwardly, because Eliza still had her arms around me too.

"Thank you so much," she whispered in my ear. Then she threw her arms around Eliza, and looked like she'd be crying if such a thing were possible. "You will _never _put me through that again," she nearly growled.

Eliza grinned, repentant. "Sorry, Mom."

"Thank you Ben," Carlisle said. "We owe you."

"Hardly," I mumbled. The three days of being awake was now hitting me hard.

"He's dead on his feet," Esme scolded Eliza. "Let's get him home." Not sure if home was where I wanted to be at this point, I stumbled, half-blind, through the airport, Eliza helping me along the way.

Eliza drove me to my house; all the way anxiety consumed my every thought. I heard us pull up into the driveway, and the door swinging open.

"BEN," she shouted from the house. I heard her run over to me, trying to pry me from Eliza's arms. I clung to Eliza, not wanting to let her go.

"It's okay; you're home now, and safe. Just sleep." Eliza reassured me. I then felt my mother's hand grab my shoulder.

"I can't believe that you have the nerve to show your face here!" Charlotte bellowed at Eliza.

"Stop it, Mom," I groaned. She didn't hear me.

"What's wrong with him?" My mom demanded.

"He's just very tired, Charlotte," Eliza assured her quietly. "Please just let him rest."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Charlotte yelled. "Give him to me. Get your hands off of him!" Eliza tried to pass me off, but I clung to her with locked, tenacious fingers. I could feel my mom yanking on my arm.

"Cut it out, Mom," I said with more a force that I didn't think possible at the moment. I managed to drag my lids back to star at Charlotte with bleary eyes. "Be mad at _me_." We were in front of the house. The cloud cover was too thick for me to guess the time of day.

"You bet your ass I'll be," Charlotte promised. "Get inside." Eliza helped me up the steps, but I stumped over my feet and nearly hit the concrete.

"Just let me get him upstairs," Eliza said. "Then I'll leave."

"NO," I shouted with more volume, causing both Charlotte and Eliza to jump a little. Eliza couldn't leave yet, I hadn't got my answers yet. She had to stay for at least that much, didn't she?

"I won't be far," she promised, so low that Charlotte wouldn't be able to hear. I felt Eliza help me up the stairs. The last thing I felt was Eliza's cool hands prying my fingers loose from her shirt.

I had the sense that I had been asleep for a very long time—my body was stiff, as if I hadn't moved during my slumber. I knew that everything had been a dream, I knew Eliza wasn't really back, I knew that I had not seen her, or felt her. I blinked a few times, adjusting my eyes to the light. It was after a minute I focused on the figure that was holding me. I sighed heavily, for I knew now that I was dreaming, or was I? The arms that held me were too substantial. Her scent was too vibrant. She was here, actually here, holding me.

"Did I frighten you?" Her voice was soft and filled with anxiety.

"Oh, _crap_," I croaked. Eliza drew closer to me, her eyes consumed with worry.

"What is it, Ben?" I frowned at her, unhappily. Her face was even more anxious than before.

"I'm dead aren't I?" I moaned. "I did drown, Victoria got to me. Crap, crap, crap! This is going to kill Charlotte." Eliza frowned and put a cold finger on my lips.

"You're not dead."

"Then why am I not waking up?" I challenged her, raising my eyebrows.

"You are awake, Ben." I shook my head.

"Sure, sure. That's what you want me to think. And then it will be worse when and _if_ I do wake up. Oh God, this is going to kill Charlotte, and Ryan and Julia…" I trailed off in horror at what I had done.

"I can see where you might get confused, with me being a nightmare or apart of hell." Her smile was grim and short lived. "But I can't imagine that you'd be sent to hell. Did you commit many murders while I was away?" Despite myself I laughed a little. "Not that I can remember. And besides if I was in hell, you wouldn't be here." She sighed. My head was getting cleaner, and I was starting to realize that everything had not been a dream, but was indeed reality. "So it all really happened?" I asked hopeful.

"Well that depends, if you mean almost dying in Italy, then yes!"

"How strange," I mused. "I really went to Italy. Did you know that I'd never been further than Albuquerque?" She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe you should go back to sleep. You're not coherent."

"I'm not tired anymore." It was all coming clear now. "What time is it? How long have I been sleeping?"

"It's just past one in the morning, so about twenty hours." I stretched as she spoke. I was so stiff.

"Charlotte?" I asked. Eliza frowned.

"Sleeping. You should probably know that I'm breaking all the rules right now. Well, not technically, since she said I was never to walk through her door again, and I came in from the window…But, still, the intent was clear."

"Charlotte banned you from the house?" I asked, disbelief quickly melted into fury. Her eyes were sad,

"Did you expect anything else?" My eyes were mad. I was going to have a few words with my mother—perhaps it would be a good time to remind her that I was over the legal age of adulthood. It didn't matter though; all too soon there would be no reason for the prohibition. I turned my thoughts to less painful avenues.

"What's the story?" I asked, genuinely curious, but trying to keep the conversation casual. Eliza sighed and looked at me with the same sad puppy eyes.

"I don't know, I was hoping you'd have something in mind." I groaned in annoyance. Eliza gripped me tighter, forcing me to look into her eyes.

"I owe you an apology. No, of course I owe you more than that, much, much more than that. I had no idea that Victoria would try to come for you, she seemed harmless when I first meet her, her thoughts weren't threating. And how I left you in the care of those _mutts_, the most immature, vial…the worst things out there other than Victoria herself." Eliza chocked a bit, like she was trying to fight back sobs. "Please know that I had no idea what leaving would do. I feel sick to my core, even now, when I can see you, feel you safe in my arms. I am the most miserable excuse for," but I wouldn't let her finish.

"Stop," I said interrupting her. I struggled to find the right words to say to her, to help her heal. "Eliza," I said. Her name burned in my throat a little. "This has to stop, now! You can't let this…this _guilt_…rule your life! I won't let you take responsibility for what's happen to me over these past few months. It's not entirely your fault; it's just how life is for me. So tomorrow if for whatever reason I trip and get run over by a bus, it's not your job to take the blame. You can't just go off to Italy because you feel bad that you couldn't save me. Even though I jumped off that cliff wanting to die, that was my choice, and _not your fault!_" Eliza's eyes widened in horror,

"You did jump off that cliff because you wanted to die, didn't you?" I wanted to hit myself over the stupidity that was my words.

"While you were gone, I found that if I did stupid, dangerous, reckless things I would see you. I would be able to hear you. So I started doing such reckless things, even ridding on motorcycles…" Eliza looked to be in so much pain, guilt rushing through her ever vein. "But you must understand that those were my choices, and you're not to take responsibility for them. Even if I wanted to die, and had killed myself I would've never wanted to kill yourself over guilt." Eliza put her forehead on mine.

"Benjamin Matthew Swan, do you believe that I simply went to Italy to die because I felt guilty?"

"Well wasn't it the reason?" I asked confused.

"Of course I felt guilty, extremely guilty, but that's not the reason I wanted to die. I wanted to die because I simply refuse to live in a world where you don't exist."

"Eliza, I don't understand?" I asked fighting back the fear that kept me from finally asking the question that I felt I needed an answer to most.

"Don't understand what?"

"So what if I was dead? I thought you didn't care?" Eliza looked at me dumbfounded.

"Don't you remember anything I told you before?"

"I remember _everything_ that you told me!" She placed a cool finger on my lips, silencing me.

"Ben, I am a really convincing liar, but still for you to believe me so quickly," she winced, "that was…excruciating." I waited, frozen. "When we were in the forest, when I was telling you goodbye," I didn't allow myself to remember. "I could tell you weren't going to let go," she whispered. "I could see that. I didn't want to do it—it felt like it was going to kill me to do it—but I knew that if I couldn't convince you that I didn't love you anymore, it would take you that much longer to get on with your life. I hoped that, if you thought I'd moved on, then you would too." I felt the memory creep into my mind. "But I could see it in your eyes, you believe me, you believed that I didn't want you anymore. The most absurd, ridiculous concept—as if there was any way that I could exist without you." I was still frozen. Her words were incomprehensible, because they were _impossible_, they were _lies_. She shook my slightly, "Ben," she asked worried. "What's wrong?" And that was it, the pathetic tears started to fall freely from my eyes and down my cheeks.

"I knew it," I sobbed silently. "I knew I was dreaming." I said through the tears. Eliza gripped my hand and pulled my face to her's.

"Ben, please tell me what I have to do to make you believe that I'm here and that I love you." I shook her off of me and got out of my bed.

"STOP!" I silently shouted at her. "Stop." I could tell that Eliza would've been crying if she could. "Please don't say that you love me, don't give me false hope. It will only make things worse when you leave me, when I wake up." Eliza slid off the bed and walked towards me.

"Ben," she said, her voice shaking. "Please tell me what I can do to make you see!" I shook my head.

"Nothing, you can't do anything because I know it's a lie. I know it in my heart, because it never made any damn sense for someone like you to love me." Eliza put both hands on my face and pulled me down to her. Her lips pressed harshly towards mine. She kissed me like she'd never kissed me before. Apart of me wanted to pull away, because that part of me still believed that she didn't love me, that she would leave me again. And then there was another part, and that part knew that she wasn't lying, that she truly did love me, and she'd never leave me again.

"Ben, let me try to explain to you how much you mean to me. Before you, Ben, my life was a moonless night. Very dark, but there were these star—points of light and reason. And then you shot across my sky like a brilliant meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything was black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I could no longer see the stars, and I had no reason for anything."

I wanted to believe her, but that had been my life without her. I was about to break down either way, so I simply let go.

"I love you," I said to her, breaking away only to breath. Saying that released what was a mountain of depression. I loved her, and I always would.

"I love you too, more than my own life," she said smiling at me. And in that moment, that smile assured me that she meant it, and that I was finally complete again. A smile came across my face as I thought of something that would ensure that Eliza would never leave.

"Once I'm changed," I said looking down at her, "nothing will ever separate us again." Eliza shook her head, and looked away.

"And why would you change?" She asked harshly. My heart skipped a few beats and I felt dizzy.

"What I mean is that you have no choice anymore. The Volturi expect me to become a vampire, and soon."

"There are ways of keeping them in the dark," she said with a smile. I pulled away as anger came over me. I went to my closet and put on a fresh shirt and jeans. "What are you doing?" Eliza asked as she watched me change clothes.

"I'm going to your house," I said rather mater of factually. Eliza grabbed my arm as I was about to open the door.

"Your truck will wake Charlotte up," she warned. I shrugged.

"I'm grounded for weeks as it is, so who cares really." Eliza groaned and rolled her eyes. "I'll take you." She said surrendering. I smiled and nodded,

"That's probably for the best; you'll want to be there."

"And why is that?"

"Because you tend to be rather opinionated, and I'm sure you'll want a chance to air your views."

"My views on what exactly?" She asked through her teeth.

"This isn't just about you anymore, or about us. The Volturi doesn't give second chances," I reminded her. "So if you want to bring the Volturi down on us over something as stupid as me staying a human, then your family should ought to have a say."

"A say in what?" she asked, each word distinct.

"My mortality. I'm putting it to a vote!"


	25. Chapter 25 The Vote

SHE WAS NOT PLEASED, THAT MUCH WAS EASY TO READ IN HER FACE. But, without further argument, she took me in her arms and sprang lithely from my window, landing without the slightest jolt, like a cat. Truthfully it was a little bit further down than I'd imagined.

"All right then," she said, her voice seething with disapproval. "Up you go." She helped me onto her back, and took off running. Even after all the time that had past, it felt routine. Proving that ridding on the back of a vampire was like riding a bike; no matter how much time passed, you never forgot how to do it. It was very quiet and dark as she ran through the forest, her breathing slow and even—dark enough that the trees flying past us were nearly invisible, and only the rush of wind on my face truly gave away our speed. The air was damp; it didn't burn my eyes the way the wind had when I jumped from the cliff.

I remembered the first time I'd rode on Eliza's back as she ran at vampire speed, it was the day she showed me why vampires couldn't come into the sun. I remembered that I had to close my eyes sometimes, that I was afraid we'd run into a tree or something, but now my eyes were wide open. I wanted to be sure that I wasn't dreaming. I turned my face towards her and pressed my lips into the cold stone skin of her neck.

"Thank you," she said, as the vague, black shapes of tress passed us. "Does this mean that you've decided you're awake?" I laughed, the sound was easy, natural, effortless. It sounded _right_.

"Not really. More that, either way, I'm not trying to wake up. Not tonight."

"I'll earn your trust back somehow," she murmured, mostly to herself. "Even if it's my final act."

"I trust you," I assured her, "It's me I don't trust."

"Explain that, please." She slowed to a walk—I could tell because the wind had ceased—and I guessed that we weren't far from the house. In fact, I thought I could make out the sound of the river rushing somewhere close by in the darkness.

"We'll—I don't trust myself to be…enough" I struggled to find the right words to say. "To deserve you. There's nothing about me that could hold you." She stopped and reached around to pull me from her back. Her gentle hands did not release me; after she'd set me on the ground, she wrapped her arms tightly around me, hugging me to her chest.

"Ben, your hold on me is permanent and unbreakable," she whispered. "Never doubt that!" I looked away, how could I not? "Why do you doubt otherwise?" She asked putting her index on the tip of my nose.

"I'll give you one guess." I sighed, and stroke her hair. She nodded. "I'm worse than the Volturi," she said grimly. I rolled my eyes,

"The worst thing the Volturi could do is kill me." She waited with tense eyes. "You could leave me," I explained. "The Volturi…Victoria…they are nothing compared to that!" Even in the darkness I could see her face contort with torment and sorrow—it reminded me of her expression under Jane's tormenting gaze; I felt sick, and regretted speaking the truth.

"Don't," I whispered, touching her face. "Don't be sad."

"If there was only some way to make you see that I can never leave you again," she whispered. "Time, I suppose, will be the only way to convince you." I liked the idea of time, I smiled and nodded. Her face was still tormented, but the pain had eased, slightly.

"I always wondered, if since I could see you when I was doing something stupid, was because somewhere deep within my subconscious I knew you still loved me." Her pain seemed to ease more.

"I always have, even when…" I put a finger to her lips, and silenced her.

"Shh," I said to her, looking into the darkness. "Hold on a second, I think I'm having an epiphany." I thought back to the night in Port Angeles when I'd had my fist delusion. Back then I'd come up with only two options. Insanity or wish fulfillment. I'd seen no third option. But what if…

What if one believed in something with all their heart, but they'd been wrong? What if I'd been so stubbornly sure that I was right, that I didn't even consider the truth…the third option? Would the truth have been silenced, or would it have tried to break through?

Option three: Eliza loved me. The bond that had been forged between us was not one that could be broken by absence, distance, or time? And no matter how much more special or beautiful or brilliant or perfect than me she might be, she was irreversibly altered as I was. As I would always belong to her, so would she always be mine. Was that what I'd been trying to tell myself?

"Oh!"

"Ben?"

"Oh. Okay I see now."

"Your epiphany?" she asked, her voice uneven and strained.

"You love me," I marveled. The sense of conviction and rightness washed through me again. Though her eyes were still anxious, the crooked smile I loved the best flashed across her face. "Truly I do." My heart inflated like it was going to crack right through my ribs. It filled my chest and blocked my throat so that I could not speak.

She really did want me the way I wanted her—forever. It was only fear for my soul, for the human things she didn't want to take from me, that made her so desperate to leave me mortal. She took my face in her cool hands and pulled me down to her lips. She kissed me until I was so dizzy the forest seemed to be spinning. I leaned my forehead against her's, and I was not the only one breathing harder than normal.

"You were better at it than I was, you know," she told me.

"Better at what?"

"Surviving. You at least made an effort. You got up in the morning, tried to be normal for your mother, followed the pattern of your life. Me on the other hand…I practically curled up in a ball and let the misery have me." She grinned, sheepish. "It was much more pathetic than hearing voices. And, as you know, I do that too."

"I only ever heard one!" I corrected her. She laughed and them pulled me tight against her right side and started to lead me forward.

"I'm only just humoring you with this." She motioned broadly with her hand toward the darkness in front of us as we walked. There was something pale and immense there—the house. "It doesn't matter in the slightest what they say."

"This affects them now, too." She shrugged indifferently. She led me through the open front door into the dark house that flipped the lights on. The room was just as I'd remembered it—the piano and the white couches and the pale, massive staircase. No dust, no white sheets. Eliza called out the names with no more volume than we used in our conversation.

"Esme? Carlisle? Rosalie? Emmett? Alice? Jasper?" They would hear. Esme was suddenly standing beside me, as if she'd been there all along.

"Welcome back Ben." She smiled. "What can we do for you this morning? I magaine, due to the hour, that this is not a purley social visit?" I nodded.

"I'd like to talk to everyone at once, if that's okay. About something important." I couldn't help glancing down at Eliza's face as I spoke. Her expression was critical, but resigned. When I looked back at Esem, she was looking at Eliza, too.

"Of course, Dear," Esme said. "Why don't we talk in the other room?"Esme led the way through the bright living room, turning on lights as she went. The walls were white, the celings high, like the living room. In the center of the room, under the low hanging chanderlier, was a large, polished oval table surrounded by eight chairs. Esme held out a chair for me at the head.

I'd never seen the Cullens use the dining room table before—it was just a prop. They didn't eat in the house. As soon as I turned to sit in the chair, I saw that we were not alone. Carlisle had followed Eliza, and behind him the rest of the family had filled in.

Esme sat down on my right, and Eliza on my left. Everyone else took their seats in silence. Alice was grining at me, already in on the plot. Rosalie and Jasper looked curious, and Emmett smiled at me tentatively. My returning smile just as timid. Esme nodded toward me. "The floor is yours."

I swallowed. Their gazing eyes made me nervous. Eliza took my hand under the table. I peeked at her, but she was watching the others, her face suddenly firece.

"Well," I paused. "I'm hoping Alice has already filled you in on everything that happened in Volterra?"

"Everything," Alice assured me. I through her a meaningful look.

"And on the way?"

"That, too," she nodded.

"Good," I sighed with relief. "Then we're all on the same page." They waited patiently while I tried to order my thoughts. "So, I habe a problem," I began. "Alice assured the Volturi that I would become one of you. They're going to send someone to check, and I'm sure that's a bas thing—something to avoid. And so, now, this involves you all. I'm sorry about that." I looked at each one of their beautiful faces, saving the most beautiful for last. Eliza's mouth was turned down into a grimace. "But, if you don't want me, then I'm not going to force myself on you." Carlisle and Esme opened their mouths to speak, but I held up a hand to stop them.

"Please, let me finish." I took a heavy breath. "You all know what I want. And I'm sure you all know what Eliza thinks of that. I think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote. If you decide you don't want me, then…I guess I'll go back to Italy alone. They can either turn me or kill me, but I don't want them coming here." There was a faint rumble of a growl in Eliza's chest. I ignored her. "Taking into account, then, that I wont be putting any of you in danger either way, I want you to vote yes or no on the issue of me becoming a vampire." I half-smiled on the last word. "Alright then…lets vote." I looked down at Eliza this time, knowing it would be better to get her opion out of the way. "Do you want me to join your family?" Her eyes were hard and black as coal.

"Not in that way, you're staying human." I nodded once, keeping my pokerface on, and then moved on.

"Alice?" Alice smiled and nodded.

"I already consider you to be my brother," she said. "Why not make it offical?" I nodded and smiled back.

"Jasper?"

"Yes," he said with confidence and a smile as well. "It will be nice not wanting to kill you all the time," he added at which Eliza snarled. I was a bit surprised—I'd not be sure what his vote would be.

"Emmett?" He hasitated, bitting down on his bottom lip.

"No." I nodded and turned my head slightly to move on, but he held up both hands. Palms forward. "Let me explain," he pleaded. "Well first off I want to thank you, Ben. For going off and risking your life to save my sister, even though it was my fault she almost died. I will forever be in your debt for that. I have been an ass to you from day one, and I truly do feel wretched about everything. But…Ben this is not the life I have chosen for myself. And I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me." I nodded slowly, taking in everything he had said. I turned my head to Rosalie.

"Hell, yes!" He smiled. "We can find another way to pick a fight with the Volturi." I nodded and turned my head to Carlisle.

"Yes, of course, Ben. I already think of you as apart of my family."

"Thank you, Carlisle," I murmured as I turned to look at Esme. I was suddenly nervous, wishing I had ask for her vote most, the vote that counted more than any majority.

"Eliza," she said.

"No," Eliza growled. Her jaw was strained tight, her lips curled from her teeth.

"It's the only way that makes sense," Esme insisted. "You've chosen not to live without him, and that doesn't leave me much of a choice." Esme turned to me and smiled weakly. "You have my vote—yes."

I was still staring at Eliza. "Thanks," I whispered. "That's all I needed. Thank you. For wanting to keep me. I feel exactly the same way about all of you, too." My voice was jagged with emotion by the end. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Emmett looking down at the table, and I realized that my words could be constructed in two ways. "Well, Alice," I said when I found the strength to speak. "Where do you want to do this?" Alice stared at me, her eyes widening with terror.

"No! No! NO!" Eliza roared, grabbing me by my shoulder, lifting me from my seat. Her face was hard and twisted in rage. "Are you insane?" she shouted. "Have you utterly lost your mind?" I cringed away, my hands covering my ears.

"Um, Ben," Alice interjected in an anxious tone. "I don't think I'm ready for that. I'll need to prepare…I don't have any idea how to not kill you."

"You can do it," I encouraged. "I trust you."

Eliza snarled in fury. Alice shook her head quickly, looking panicked.

"Esme?" I turned to look at her. Eliza grabbed my face in her hand, forcing me to look at her. Her other hand was out, palm toward Esme.

Esme ignored that. "I'm able to do it," she answered my question. "You'd be in no danger of me losing control."

"Sounds good." I hoped she could could understand; it was hard to talk clearly the way Eliza held my jaw.

"Hold on," Eliza said between her teeth. "It doesn't have to be now."

"There's no reason for it not to be now," I said, the words coming out distorted.

"I can think of a few."

"Of course you can," I said sourly. "Now let go of me." She freed my face, and floded her arms across her chest.

"In about four hours, Charlotte will be here looking for you. I wouldn't even put it past her to invlove the police."

"Yah, all three of them." But I frowned. This would always be the hardest part. Charlotte, Ryan. And now Julia, too. The people I would lose, the people I would hurt. I wished there was some way that I could be the only one to suffer, but I knew that was impossible. At the same time, I was hurting them more by staying human. Putting Charlotte in constant danger through my proximity. Putting Julia in worse danger still by drawing her enemires across the land that she now felt a need to protect. And Ryan—I couldn't even risk a visit to see my own father for fear of bringing my deadly problems along with me! I was adanger magnet; I'd accepted that about myself. Accepting this, I knew I needed to be able to take care of myself, and protect the ones I loved, even if that meant that I couldn't be with them. I needed to be strong.

"In the interest of remaining _inconspicuous,_" Eliza said, still talking through her teeth, but looking at Esme now, "I suggest that we put this conversation off, at the very least until Ben finishes high school, and moves out of Charlotte's house."

"That's a reasonable request, Ben," Esme pointed out. I thought about Charlotte's reaction when she woke up this morning, if—after all that life had put her through in the last week with Sue's death, and then my little _adventure_—she would find my bed empty. Charlotte deserved better than that. It was just a little more time; graduation wasn't so far away…

I pursed my lips. "I'll consider it." Eliza relaxed. Her jaw unclenched.

"I should probebly take you home," she said, more calm now, but clearly in a hurry to get me out of her house. "Just in case Charlotte wakes up early." I looked at Esme.

"After graduation?"

"You have my word." I took a deep breath, smiled and turned back to Eliza.

"Okay, you can take me home." Eliza rushed me from the house. It was a quiet trip home. I was feeling triumphant, and to be honest a little smug. Scared stiff, too, of course, but I tried not to think about that part. It didn't really do me any good to worry about the pain—the physical or the emotional—so I wouldn't. Not until I absolutely had to.

When we got to my house, Eliza didn't pause. She dashed up the wall and through my window in hald a second. Then she pulled my arms around her neck and set me on the bed. I thought I had a pretty good idea of what she was thinking, but her expression surprised me. Instead of fury, there was calculation. She paced slightly back and forth across my dark room while I watched with growing suspicion.

"Whatever you're planning, it's not going to work," I told her.

"Shh. I'm thinking."

"Ugh," I groaned, throwing myself back on the bed and pulling the quilt over my head. There was no sound, but suddenly she was there. She flipped the cover back so she could see me. She was lying next to me. Her hand reached stroke my cheek.

"If you don't mind, I'd much rather you didn't hide your face. I've lived without it for so long as I can stand. Now…tell me something."

"What?" I asked, unwilling.

"If you could have anything in the world, anything at all, what would it be?" I could feel the skepticism in my eyes. "You." She shook her head impatiently.

"Something you already don't have." I wasn't sure where she was trying to lead me, do I thought carefully before I answered. I came up with something that was both true, and utterly impossible.

"I would want…Esme not to have to do it. I want _you_ to be the one to change me." I watched her reaction warily, expecting more of the fury I'd seen back at her house. I was surprised that her expression didn't change. It was still calculating, thoughtful.

"What would you be willing to trade for that?" I couldn't believe my ears. I gawked at her composed face and blurted out the answer before I could think about it.

"Anything." She smiled faintly, and then pursed her lips.

"Five years?" My face twisted into an expression somewhere between chagrin and horror. "You did say anything," she reminded me.

"Yes, but…you'll use the time to find a way out of it. I have to strike while the iron is hot. Besides, it's just too dangerous to be human—for me, at least. So anything, _but_ that." She frowned.

"Three years?"

"No!"

"Isn't it worth anything to you at all?" I thought about how much I wanted this. Better to keep a poker face, I decided, and not let her know how **_very _**much that was. It would give me more leverage.

"Six months?" I finally said. She rolled her eyes. "Not good enough."

"One year, then," I said. "That's my limit."

"At least give me two."

"No way, nineteen I'll do. But if you're staying in your teens forever, than so am I." She thought about that for a minute.

"All right. Forget time entierly. If you want me to do it than you have to…" She stopped and stared at the door.

"What?" I asked beginingg to worry.

"You're mother is up, she's on her way. I better leave," she said with resignation. My heart stopped beating. She gauged at my expression for a second. "Would it be childish of me to hide in your closet, then?"

"No," I whispered eagerly. "Stay. Please!" Eliza smiled ans disappeared. I seethed in the darkness as I waited for my mother to check on me. Eliza knew excatly what she was doing, and I was willing to bet that all the injured surprise was part of her ploy. Of course, I still had the Esme option, but now that I knew there was a chance that Eliza would change me herself, I wanted it bad. God she was such a cheater. My door cracked open.

"Morning, Mom."

"Oh, hey, Ben." She sounded embarrassed at getting caught. "I didn't know you were awake."

"Yeah. I've been waiting for you to wake up so I could take a shower." I stared to get up.

"Hold up," Charlotte said, flipping the light on. I blinked in the sudden brightness, and carefully kept my eyes away from the closet. "Let's talk for a minute." I couldn't control my grimace, I'd forgotten to ask Alice for a good excuse.

"You know you're in trouble."

"Yeah. I know."

"I just about went crazy these last few days. I come home after helping arragne my friend's funeral, and you're gone. Julia could only tell me that you'd run off with Alice Cullen, and that she thought you were in trouble. You didn't even leave me a number to call. I didn't know where you where or when—if you were coming home. Do you have any idea how…how…" She couldn't finish the sentence. She sucked in a sharp breath and moved on. "Can you give me one good reason why I shouldn't ship you off to Nashville this second?"

My eyes narrowed. So it was going to be threats, was it? Two could play at this game. I sat up, pulling the quilt around me. "Because I wont go."

"Now just one minute, young man—"

"Look, Mom, I accept full responsibility for my actions, and you have the right to ground me for however long you want. I will also do all the chores and laundry and dishes intill you think I've learned my lesson. And I guess you're within your rights if you want to kick me out, too—but I won't be moving to Nashville. Her face turned bright red, She took a few deep breaths before she answered.

"Would you like to explain where you've been?" Oh, crap.

"There was…an emergency." She raised her eyebrows in expection of my brilliant explanation. I fillrf my cheeks with air and then blew it out noisily. "I don't know what you want me to tell you, Mom. It was mostly a misunderstanding. You know, he said, she said. It got out of hand." She waited with a distrustful glare.

"See, Alice found out about me jumping off the cliff and told Emmett, who told Eliza…" I was scrambling franticly to make this work, to keep it close to the truth as possible so that my inability to lie convincingly would not undermind the excuse, but before I could go on, Charlotte's expression reminded me that she didn't know anything about me jumping off the cliff. Major oops, As if I wasn't already toast.

"I guess I didn't tell you about that," I choked out. "It was um…it was…it was nothing. Just messinging around with Julia. I'd seen her and the other La Push kids do it all the time. But back to the misunderstanding. Emmett made it sound like I'd tried to kill myself. Eliza woundn't aswer her phone, so Alice dragged me to…L.A, to expalin in person.: I shrugged, despratly hoping that Charlotte would buy the cover story. Charlotte's face heated up—from frozen to hot with fury.

"What's it to Eliza Cullen anyway?" she barked. "After she just left you, dangling from a hook without a word—" I interupted her. "Another misunderstanding."

Her face flushed again. "So is she back then?"

"I'm not entierly sure what the exact plan is, but I think they all are." She shook her head, the vein in her forehead plusing. "I want you to stay away from her, Ben. I don't trust her. She's not good for you. I won't let her mess you up like that again."

"Fine," I said curtly. Charlottle rocked back onto her heels. "Oh." She scrambled for a second, exhaling loudly in surprised. "I thought you were going to be difficult."

"I am." I stared straight into my mother's eyes. "I meant, 'Fine I'll move out.'" Her eues bulged; her face turned puce. My resolve wavered as I starterd to worry about her health. She wasn't much younger than Sue…

"Mom, I don't want to move out," I said in a much softer tone. "I love you, and I know you're worried, but you need to trust me on this. And you're going to have to ease up on Eliza if you want me to stay. You do want me to stay?"

"That's not fair, Ben. You know I want you to stay."

"Then be nice to Eliza, because she's going to be where I am." I said with a confidence that would've not been there hours ago.

"Not under my roof," Charlotte stormed. I sighed heavily.

"Look I'm not going to give you any more ultimatums tonight—or I guess its this morning. Just think it over for a few days, okay? But keep in mind that Eliza and I are sort of a package deal."

"Ben—"

"Think it over," I insisted "And while you're doing that, could you give me some privacy? I really need a shower." Charlotte's face was a strange shade of purple. But she left slamming the door behind her. "I heard her stomping furiously down the stairs. I threw my quilt off and found that Eliza was already there sitting on the chair by the window.

"Sorry about that," I whispered.

"It's not as if I don't deserve far worse," she murmered. "Don't start anything with Charlotte, please," she added.

"Don't worry, I'll only start what is necessary, and no more than that. Or are you telling me I have no where to go if she kicked me out." I widened my eyes with false alarm.

"You'd move in a house full of vampires?"

"That's probebly the safest place for someone like me. Besides…" I grinned. "If Charlotte kicks me out, then there is no need for the graduation deadline, is there?" Her jaw tightened.

"So eager for eternal damnation," she muttered.

"You know I don't believe that, and neither do you."

"Oh, don't I?" she fumed.

"No. You don't!" She glowered at me and started to speak, but I cut her off.

"If you really believed that you'd lost your soul, then when I found you in Volterra, you would've realized immediately what was happening, instead of thinking we were both death together. But you didn't—you said '_Amazing. Esme was right_,'" I reminded her, triumphant. "See, there's hope for you yet." For once Eliza was speechless. "So, lets both be hopeful, all right?" I suggested. "Not that it matters. If you stay, then I don't need heaven." She got up slowly, and came to put her hands on either side of my face as she stared into my eyes.

"Forever," she vowed, still a little staggered.

"That's all I'm asking for," I said, and leaned down to press my lips onto her's.


	26. Chapter 26 Treaty

ALMOST EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL—THE GOOD NORMAL, PRE-ZOMBIE NORMAL—IN LESS TIME THAN I WOULD'VE BELIEVE POSSIBLE. The hospital welcomed Esme back with open, eager arms, not even bothering to conceal their delight that Esme had found life in L.A, so little to her liking. Thanks to the Calculus test I'd missed while abroad, Alice and Eliza were in better shape to graduate than I was at the moment. Suddenly, college was a priority (college being the cover story for my disappearance when I became a vampire.) Charlotte was not happy with me, or speaking to Eliza. But at least Eliza was allowed—during my designated visiting hours—inside the house. I just wasn't allowed out of it.

School and work were the only exceptions, and the dreary, dull yellow walls of my classrooms had become oddly inviting to me of late. That had a lot to do with the person who sat in the desk beside me. Eliza had resumed her schedule from the beginning of the year, which put her in all but one of my classes. My behavior had been such last fall, after the Cullen's move to L.A., that the seat beside me had never been filled. Even Michelle, always so eager to take advantage, had kept a safe distance. With Eliza back in place, it was almost like the last five months hadn't happened, but were rather a distant nightmare.

Almost, but not quite. There was the house arrest situation, for one thing. And another, before the fall, I hadn't been best friends with Julia Black. So, of course, I hadn't missed her then.

I wasn't at liberty to go to La Push, and Julia wasn't coming to see me. She wouldn't even answer my phone calls. I made these calls mostly at night, after Eliza had been kicked out—promptly at nine by a gleeful Charlotte—and before Eliza snuck back in through my window when Charlotte was asleep. I chose that time ot make my fruitless calls because I'd noticed that Eliza always made a certain face every-time I mentioned Julia's name. Sort of disapproving and wary…maybe even angry. I guessed that she had some reciprocal prejudice against the werewolves, though she wasn't as vocal as Julia had been about the "leeches." So I didn't mention Julia that much.

With Eliza near me, it was hard to think about any unhappy things—even my former best friend, who was probably very unhappy with me, even possibly hated me. When I did think of Julia, I always felt guilty for not thinking about her enough.

The fairy tale was back on. Pincess had returned, the evil spell had been broken. I wasn't sure exactly what to do with the leftover, unreasolved character though. _Where was her happy ever after_?

Weeks passed, and Julia still wouldn't answer my calls. It started to become a constant worry. Like a dripping faucet in the back of my head that I couldn't shut off or ignore. Drip. Drip. Drip. Julia. Julia. Julia.

So, though I didn't mention Julia _much_, sometimes my frustration and anxiety simply boiled over.

"It's just plain rude!" I vented one Saturday afternoon when Eliza picked me up from work. Being angry about things was easier than feeling guilty. "Downright insulting." I'd varied my pattered, in hopes of a different response. I'd called Julia from work one time, only to get an unhelpful Billie. Again.

"Billie said she didn't _want_ to talk to me," I fumed, glaring at the rain oozing down the passenger side window. "That she was there, and wouldn't take the three steps to get the phone. I mean usually Billie just says she's out or busy or sleeping or something. I mean, it's not like I didn't know she was lying to me, but at least it was a polite way to handle it. I guess Billie hates me too now. It's not fair!"

"It's not you, Ben," Eliza said quietly. "Nobody hates you."

"Feels that way," I muttered, folding my arms across my chest. It was no more than a stubborn gester. There was no hole there now that need to be concealed—honestly I could barely remember the empty feeling anymore. "Julia knows we're back, and I'm sure that she's ascertained that I'm with you," Eliza said. "She won't come anywhere near me. The enmity is rooted to deeply."

"Well that's just stupid. She knows you and your family aren't like other vampires."

"There is still good reason to keep a safe distance." I glared blindly out the window. "Ben, we are who we are," Eliza said quietly. "I can control myself, but I doubt that she can. She's very young. It would most likely turn into a fight, and I don't know if I could stop myself before I k—" she broke off, and then quickly continued. "Before I hurt her. You would be very unhappy. And I don't want that to happen."

"Eliza Cullen," I whispered. "Were you about to say '_killed_ her'? Weren't you?" She looked away from me, staring into the rain.

"I would try…very hard…not to do that," Eliza finally said. I stared at her with my mouth slightly opened, but she continued to look straight ahead. We paused at the corner stop sign. Abruptly, I remembered what had happened to Paris when Romeo came back. The stage directions were simple: _They fight. Paris falls_. But that was ridiculous. Impossible.

"Well," I said, and took in a deep breath, shaking my head to dispel the words in my head. "Nothing like that is ever going to happen, so there is no reason to worry about it. And you know that Charlotte is staring at the clock right now. You'd better hurry and get me home before I'm in even more trouble for being late." I turned to look at her face, that impossibly perfect face, my heart still pounded strong when I looked at it. But this time, the pounding raced ahead of its usual besotted pace. I recognized the expression on her statue-still face.

"You're already in more trouble, Ben," she whispered through un-moving lips. I slid closer, clutching her arm as I followed her gaze to see whatever she saw. I didn't know what to expect—maybe Victoria standing in the middle of the street, her flaming red hair blowing in the wind, or a line of black cloaks…or maybe a pack of angry werewolves. But I didn't see anything at all.

"What? What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "Charlotte…"

"My mom?" I screeched. She looked up at me then, and her expression was calm enough to ease my panic a bit.

"Charlotte…is probably _not _going to kill you, but she's thinking about it," she told me. She started to drive forward again, down the street, but passed my house and parked by the edge of the forest.

"What did I do?" I gasped. Eliza glanced back at Charlotte's house. I followed her gaze, and noticed for the first time, parked in my driveway, next to the cruiser, a shinny, bright green, impossible to miss, motorcycle. My motorcycle, flaunting itself in the driveway. Eliza had said that Charlotte was ready to kill me, so she must have known that—that it was mine. There was only one person who could've been behind such treachery.

"No!" I gasped. "_Why_? Why would Julia do this to me?" The sting of betrayal washed through me. I had trusted Julia implicitly—trusted her with every single secret I had. She was suppose to be my salf harbor—the person I could always rely on. Of course things were strained right now, but I didn't think any of the underlying foundation had changed.

What had I done to deserve this? Charlotte was going to be so mad—worse than that, she was going to be hurt and worried. Didn't she have enough to deal with already? Up until this, I'd never be able to think that Julia would be able to be so petty, so _mean_. I had been betrayed. I was suddenly so angry that my head throbbed like it was about to explode.

"Is she still here?" I hissed.

"Yes. She's waiting for us there." Eliza told me, nodding towards the slender path that divided the dark fringe of the forest into two. I jumped out of the car, launching myself towards the trees with my hands already balled into fists. Why did Eliza have to be so much faster than me? She caguth me around the waist beofre I made it to the path.

"Let me go! I'm going to murder her! _TRAITOR_!" I shouted the epithet toward the tress.

"Charlotte will hear you," Eliza warned me. "And once she has you inside, she may brick over the doorway." I glanced back at my house instinctively, and it seemed like the glossy green bike was all I could see. I was seeing red, my head began to throb again.

"Just give me one go with Julia, I know it's not right to hit a girl, but she's a werewolf, she won't feel anything. Then I'll deal with Charlotte." I struggled futile.

"Julia Black wants to see _me_. That's why she's still here." That stopped me cold—took the fight right out of me. My hands went limp. _They fight; Paris falls_. I was furious, but not that furious.

"Talk?" I asked.

"More or less."

"How much more?" My voice shook.

Eliza smoothed my hair back from my forehead. "Don't worry, she's not here to fight me. She's acting as…spokesperson for the pack."

"Oh."

Eliza looked at the house again, then tightened her arm around my waist and pulled me further into the woods. "We should hurry. Charlotte's getting impatient."

We didn't have to walk far; Julia waited just a short ways up the path. She lounged against a mossy tree trunk as she waited, her face hard and bitter, just the way I expected it to be. She looked at me, and then at Eliza. Julia's mouth stretched into a humorless sneer, and she shrugged away from the tree. She stood on the balls of her bare feet, leaning slightly forward, with her trembling hands clenched into fists. She looked bigger than the last time I saw her. Somehow, _impossibly_, she was still growing. She would toward over Eliza if the two would stand next to eachother. But Eliza stopped as soon as we saw her, leaving a wide space between us and her.

I would have thought that seeing her resentful, cynical expression would only make me angrier. Instead, it reminded me of the last time I saw her, with tears in her eyes. My fury weakned, flat-lined, when I stared at Julia. It had been so long since I'd seen her—I hated that our reunion had to be like this.

"Ben," Julia said as a greeting, nodding once toward me without looking away from Eliza.

"Why?" I whispered, trying to hide the sound of the lump in my throat. "How could you do this to me, Julia?"

The sneer vanished, but her face stayed hard and rigid. "It was for the best."

"What is _that _suppose to mean? Do you want Charlotte to _kill_ me? Or did you want her to have a heart attack like Sue? No matter how made you are at me, how could you do that to _her_?" Julia winced, and her eyebrows pulled together, but she didn't answer.

"She didn't want to hurt anyone—she just wanted to get you grounded, so that you wouldn't be allowed to spend time with me," Eliza murmured, explaining the thoughts Julia wasn't saying. Julia's eyes sparkled with hate as she glowered at Eliza again.

"Aw, Julia!" I groaned. "I'm _already _grounded! Why do you think I haven't been down to La Push to rip you a new one?" Julia's eyes flashed back at me, confused for the first time. "That's why?" she asked, and then locked her jaw, like she was sorry she'd said anything.

"She thought _I _wouldn't let you, not Charlotte," Eliza explained.

"You stay the hell out of my head!" Julia roared at her, which Eliza didn't answer. Julia shuddered once, and then gritted her teeth as hard as her fist. "Ben wasn't joking about you…abilities," she said through her teeth. "So you must know why I'm here."

"Yes," Eliza agreed in a soft voice. "But, before you begin, there is something I need to say."

Julia waited, clenching and unclenching her hands as she tried to control the shivers rolling down her arms.

"Thank you," Eliza said, her voice throbbed with the depth of her sincerity. "I will never be able to tell you how grateful I am. I will owe you for the rest of my…existence."

Julia stared at her blankly, her shudders stilled by surprise. She exchanged a quick glance with me, but my face was just as mystified.

"For keeping Ben alive," Eliza clarified, her voice rough and fervent. "When I…didn't."

"Eliza—," I started to say, but she held one hand up, her eyes on Julia. Understanding washed over Julia's face before the hard mask returned. "I didn't do it for your benefit."

"I know. But that doesn't erase the gratitude I feel. I thought you should know. If there's ever anything in my power that I can do for you…"

Julia raised one black brow.

Eliza shook her head. "That's not in my power."

"Whose, then?" Julia growled. Eliza looked up at me. "His. I'm a quick learner Julia Black, and I don't make the same mistake twice. I'm here untill she orders me away." I was immersed momentarily in her golden gaze. It wasn't hard to understand what I'd missed in the conversation. The only thing Julia would want from Eliza was her absence.

"Never," I whispered, still locked in Eliza's eyes. Julia made a gagging sound. I unwillingly broke free from Eliza's gaze to frown at Julia.

"Was there something else you needed, Julia? You wanted me in trouble—mission accomplished. Charlotte might just send me to military school. But not even that will keep me away from Eliza. There is nothing that can do that. What more do you want?"

Julia kept her eyes on Eliza. "I just needed to remind your bloodsucking friends of a few key points in the treaty they agreed to. The treaty that is the only thing stopping me from ripping her head off this minute." I took a stept in front of Eliza slightly, but she pushed me back, out of the line of possible attack.

"We haven't forgotten," Eliza said at the same time I demanded, "What key points?"

Julia still glowered at Eliza, but she answered me. "The treaty is quite specific. If any of them bite a human, the truce is over. **_Bite_**, not kill," she emphasized. Finally, she looked at me. Her eyes were cold. It only took me a second to grasp the distinction, and then my face was as cold as her's.

"That's none of your business."

"The hell it—" was all she managed to choke out. I didn't expect my hasty words to bring on such a strong response.

"Julia? You okay?" I asked anxiously.

I took a step forward toward her, then Eliza pulled me back behind her body. "Careful! She's not under control," she warned me. But Julia was already somewhat herself again; only her arms were shaking. She scowled at Eliza with pure hate. "I would never hurt him!" Neither Eliza or I missed the inflection, or the accusation it contained. A low hiss escaped from Eliza's lips. Julia clenched her fist reflexively.

"BEN!" Charlotte's roar echoed from the direction of the house. "YOU GET IN THIS HOUSE THIS INSTANT!" All of us froze, listening to the silence that followed. I was the first to speak, my voice trembled. "Crap." Julia's furious expression faltered.

"I am sorry about that," she muttered. "I had to do what I could—I had to try…"

"Thanks." The tremor in my voice ruined the sarcasm. I stared uo the path, half-expecting Charlotte to come barreling through the wet ferns like an eranged bull. I would be the red flag in that scenario.

"Just one more thing," Eliza said to me, and then she looked at Julia. "We've found no trace of Victoria on our side of the line—have you?"

She knew the answer as soon as Julia thought it, but Julia spoke the answer anyway. "The last time was while Ben was…away. She just got done feeding on a couple and their baby."

I felt my heart skip a beat, a baby, she killed a baby! "We let her think she was slipping through—we were tightening the circle, getting ready to ambush her—"

Ice shot down my spine. "But then she took off like a bat out of hell. Near as we can tell, she caught your little female's scent and bailed."

Eliza nodded. "When she comes back, she's not your problem anymore. We'll—"

"She killed on our turf," Julia hissed. "She's ours!"

"No—," I began to protest both declarations.

"BEN! I _SEE_ HER CAR AND I _KNOW_ YOU'RE OUT THERE! IF YOU AREN'T _INSIDE _THIS HOUSE IN _ONE _MINUTE…!" Charlotte didn't bother to finish her threat.

"Let's go," Eliza said. I looked back at Julia, torn. Would I see her again?

"Sorry," she whispered so low that I had to read her lips to understand. "Bye, Benny."

"You promised," I reminded her desperately. "Still friends, right?" Julia shook her head slowly, and the lump in my throat nearly stangled me.

"You know how hard I keep trying. Not now…" She struggled to keep her hard mask in place, but wavered, and then disappeared. "Miss you," she mouthed. One of her hands reached toward me, her fingers outstreached, like she wished they were long enough to cross the distance between us.

"Me, too," I choked out. My hand reached toward her's across the wide space. Like we were connected, the echo of her pain twisted inside me. Her pain, my pain.

"Julia. . ." I took a step toward her. I wanted to wrap my arms around her waist and erase the expression of misery on her face.

Eliza pulled me back again, her arms restraining in stread of defending.

"It's okay," I promised her, looking down to read her face with trust in my eyes. She would understand. Her eyes were unreadable, her face expressionless. Cold.

"No, it's not."

"Let him go," Julia snarled, furious again. "He wants to!" She took two long strides forward. A glint of anticipation flashed in her eyes. Her chest seemed to swell as it shuddered. Eliza pushed me behind her, wheeling to face Julia.

"No! Eliza—!"

"BENJAMIN SWAN!"

"Come on! Charlotte's mad!" My voice was panicked, but not because of Charlotte now. "Hurry!" I tugged on her and she rlaxed a little. She pulled me back slowly, always keeping her eyes on Julia as we retreated.

Julia watched us with a dark scowl on her bitter face. The anticipation drained from her eyes, and then, just before the forest came between us, her face suddenly crumpled in pain. I knew that last glimpse of her face would haunt me forever.

I had some serious problems.

My best friend counted me with her enemies.

Victoria was still on the loose, putting everyone I loved in danger.

If I didn't become a vampire soon, the Volturi would kill me.

And now it seemed that if I did, the Quileute werewolves would try to do the job themselves—along with trying to kill my future family. I didn't even think they had any chance really, but would my best friend get herself killed in the attempt?

Very serious problems. So why did they all suddenly seem insignificant when we broke through the last of the tress and I caught sight of the expression on Charlotte's purple face.

Eliza squezzed me gently, "I'm here." I drew in a deep breath. That was true. Eliza was here, with her arms around me. I could face anything as long as that was true. I squared my shoulders and walked forward to meet my fate, with my destiny solidly at my side. Eliza stopped me real quick, and looked at me.

"I think this is the best time to tell you this." I looked at her confused.

"What?"

"My condition, if you want me to be the one to change you." I stopped walking, and stared at her wide eyed.

"What?" Eliza smiled wickedly, and pulled me down to whisper in my ear.

"Marry me, Ben." My eyes widened and a small gasped escaped from my lips.


	27. Chapter 27 Epilogue Riley

RILEY

I'd just left the dinner where my study group had decided to meet up. We spent the last three hours reviewing Shakespeare for our English final. I wanted nothing more than to get into my dorm and sleep; or call Kelly. A small smile spread across my face. Kelly and I had grown up together in Forks, now we were studying together at a Seattle University. We had always been friends, but as of late, we started to become more.

I wanted to get to my dorm fast; the rain was beating down extremely hard, creating a thick wall of water. I was halfway across the street when something knocked me down. But bag flew across the street, spilling all my books and laptop. I looked around, both furious and worried. The attack was nowhere in sight. I heard feet splashing in puddles. A primal instinct kicked in, and forgetting my belongings I started to run. I ran toward a jewelry shop. I was almost at the door when a humanoid black shape blocked me; the force of the wind it left knocked me to my feet. My heart was beating faster than it had ever before. I started to run down a dark alley (not the smartest move in hindsight) to the harbor. I reached the end of the dock; my short lived hope was vanquished by the dead end. I heard a strange screech, like a woman, no not a woman a siren screeching victoriously. Gathering all my strength I turned to face the darkness.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Suddenly I saw the strange shape approach me. It ran with impossible speed. I felt a sharp pain sink into my right hand. The pain was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Like being set on fire, poisonous, icy fire. I screamed, but I knew that my screams would be unheard; the rain was falling too hard. I fell onto the hard concrete floor and grasped at my hand. I screamed again. I looked up at the dark sky, ready to embrace death, thinking the pain would end me soon. I closed my eyes ready to die, but death didn't come. Instead I felt my body being lifted from the ground. I felt like I was flying, wind and rain blew into my face so very hard.

I don't know when we stopped, the pain kept me from thinking straight, but we did stop. I felt my body being placed on a soft bed. The pain was too much; I wanted to die, I wanted death to come and take me, anything to stop the pain. After what seemed like an eternity the pain started to cease. It started with my toes and fingers, and slowly receded. It felt like the fire was leaving all parts of my body, and heading for my heart. My heart was beating faster than it had during the entire duration. Then it stopped.

I opened my eyes, and everything was so beautifully clear. I could smell scents that I never smelled before. But the most notable sense was the burning in my throat. I clutched my hands to my throat, gasping, but it caused no relief. I shuddered a bit at the touch of my skin; it was so soft and smooth. I heard someone approaching; I leapt from the bed and into a defensive crouch. A part of my mind marveled at the speed and gracefulness of what I just did, another part pondered at why I could do that, and another part looked intensely at who was there.

I saw a creature, so beautiful that I was sure I had indeed died and gone to heave. Her snowy face glistened in the moonlight. Her flaming red hair flowed like a waterfall of blood behind her. I stood up from my crouch and stared at her.

"Who are you?" I asked still mesmerized. The strange woman smiled, exposing her prefect white teeth.

"I'm Victoria," she said in a sweet, girly voice. She walked over to me, and without warning started to kiss me in a way I had never been kissed. I found that I didn't need to breathe, so I didn't pull back, but continued the kiss, placing my tongue into her mouth. We kissed for many moments, and finally we stopped. She pulled away and smiled brightly at me.

"Oh, Riley," she cooed. "I'm so glad that I found you! You're going to be of such use to me." She pulled me down into another kiss, grabbing my hair with one hand, and my rear with the other, biting my bottom lip as she pulled away. "Now," she said eagerly, "let's find you someone to drink!"


	28. Chapter 28 Note to Readers

Hey there readers of_ Dusk_ and _Dark Fog,_ I hope you've enjoyed the stories, I've enjoyed very much writing them! I am going to start _Shadows_ the equivalent to _Eclipse_. I hope you will read that, and pass these stories along! Thank you so much, y'all are great!


End file.
